Home, Home on the Range
by pizzansushi
Summary: AU Hiashi forces Hinata into an arranged marriage with the abusive aristocrat Sasuke. Unfortunately, she has no one to run to when her true love, Naruto, is drafted to the Navy. Naruto fights to stay alive and to return to his love. Heavy Smut and Lemons. Rape/abuse in Ch. 1
1. Chapter 1

**Home, Home on the Range**

AU Hiashi forces Hinata into an arranged marriage with the abusive aristocrat Sasuke. Unfortunately, she has no one to run to when her true love, Naruto, is drafted to the Navy. Naruto fights to stay alive and to return to his love. Heavy Smut and Lemons.

o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

 **WARNING: THERE IS RAPE IN THIS CHAPTER. If nonconsensual sex and rape (between Sasuke x Hinata) offends/disgusts you DO NOT read this. Also, if you hate Sasuke and love Naruto, skip to chapter 5.**

 **Rape, murder, and character death in this fanfic.**

o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

 **Chapter 1 Unholy Union**

Air in the cozy room had suddenly turned claustrophobically stale. A suffocating heaviness weighed down on her chest as she rasped for air.

Failure.

Despite all her accomplishments—despite her beauty and reputation—the sinking feeling had always followed Hinata like a ghostly companion. To love and to be loved. The two things she wanted most in life were always a fingerbreadth out of her reach.

How did the heiress to the House of Hyuga wind up in this kind of situation?

A deal with the devil.

Hinata had promised to follow through with courtship and marriage with Marquess Sasasuke Uchiha—on one condition. The marquess would fulfill her request to place Naruto in the Navy instead of the Army.

To everyone, Naruto was a simple blacksmith. To Hinata, he was her first love and her world.

So to hear that Naruto had been drafted to serve in the Army broke her heart. Average men didn't last a year in the Army. The Navy was a safer branch, but it was reserved for the children of upper class aristocrats and royals.

Sasuke had honored his word. Naruto was placed in the Navy.

But Hinata broke her promise and started courting her gay friend Shino instead. Her plot with Shino was to divorce later—Shino would be free to sleep with other men and she would be free to be with Naruto after his discharge.

Of course, the blue-haired beauty had never been the deceptive type. But with Naruto, with his life on the line, Hinata dared. She dared to scheme and dream against all the odds.

Well, her moral breech came back to bite. Sasuke would tell her father, Hiashi, of her promise. Enraged, Hiashi threatened to disown Hinata if she didn't follow through with nuptial union to Marquess Uchiha. If Hinata had been a fool, she would have thought her father a man of honor. But she knew better. House Uchiha was one of few houses with more power and more land than House Hyuga.

o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

Hinata decided to go through with the wedding peacefully. However, while Sasuke drank toast after toast with the upper elite of France, Hinata grabbed her jewels and escaped. Her friend Shino waited in the carriage in the alley. Perhaps she was jinxed, but Sasuke had been vomiting in the back alley the very moment she had burst out of the alley door.

Sasuke had easily thrown her over his shoulder and carry her up to bed—years of her sword-training be damned.

"She couldn't wait to be with her new husband." Sasuke answered cheekily with a wink as the guests looked upon them with questioning eyes.

As soon as he closed the bedroom door, Hinata made a swing at his temple. If she could get him to black out, she could make a run for it. Sasuke caught her hand and dragged her towards the bed. He made quick work of unraveling his tie. Sasuke held the tie with his mouth and grabbed both of Hinata's wrists. He straddled her thighs to keep her from kicking him.

o.o

And soon, it was too late for her. He took his liberties with her.

o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.

That night he had dreamt of the memory from the first time she came to him.

 _"U-Uchiha-san? Here." The little blue-haired girl placed a white calla lily in his hand. Blue locks of hair bounced as she sat down beside him on the bench._

 _The Hyuga brat had seen him crying._

 _Sasuke was tempted to throw the pale flower in her face. His mother abandoned him in his first year of life to marry another man. Now his old nurse had left him forever. She had died of old age they told him._

 _Without Chiyo, there will be no one to hold him at night. No one will sing him lullabies to sooth his nightmares. No one to run to for comfort when his father spoke to him with disappointment._

 _At six years old, Sasuke Uchiha would understand the meaning of an eternal goodbye. The announcement of Chiyo's death brought the boy grief, then loneliness. In his loneliness, he began to realize the presence of a thorn in his side that he never knew was there before._ **He doesn't deserve to be loved _._**

 _His drunk father had said that as a passing comment, but Sasuke was beginning to believe it._

 _Every happy smiling child was a salt to his wound. They had a real family to hold them._

 _So when this too pretty little girl offered him a smile—as if she pitied him—he was enraged._

 _Life was so unfair. He wanted to give her a good thrashing to balance the scales for once, but even that he couldn't do. He knew who she was. She was Hinata Hyuga. The heiress apparent to the House of Hyuga. During church, he's seen how her parents would dote on her. He would get the whip, if he as much as touch one hair on her head._

 _What did she know? How would someone like her know the hurt of losing the only person that loves you back? How dare she assume that a few kind words and a flower would make everything all better? It doesn't!_

 _"I really miss my momma." The girl whined. "Papa said she lives in heaven now. She still talks to me when I sleep."_

 _It dawned on him Lady Hitomi Hyuga had also passed. Hinata had lost her mother._

 _Hinata was younger than he was. A 4-year-old like her had a weak understanding of death. If Sasuke was honest, he would say that she was plain stupid. But something in him soften, and he didn't have the heart to tell her the raw truth—she was never going to see her mother again._

 _"It's not the same though!" She started crying obnoxiously. Globs of tears leaked out of her lavender eyes and stained her mourning gown a darker shade of black._

 _He chose to show her the kindness that his father never showed him. He patted her hair until her loud sobs faded to pitiful whimpers. She leaned into his shoulder and cried a small puddle into his coat shirt._

 _Sasuke had snuck out of Sunday school that day to mourn the person his father had simply deemed, "A lowly servant."_

 _In a sense, he chose to honor Chiyo. He showed Hinata the kindness that Chiyo had proved to him existed in the days she had lived._

 _"When one door closes, another one opens." Those were Chiyo's words._

 _Sasuke wasn't one for superstitions. And yet, as Sasuke watched Hinata cry all the tears he had held back, he felt warm again._

 **o.o**

 **o.o.o.o.o**

 **o.o**

 **AN: I don't support rape or victim blaming. And yes this piece is outright rape. It is also an inaccurate representation of rape. And throughout this story you will be exposed to people behaving very atrociously.**

 **o.o**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 Married to the Mob

o.o

o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o

o.o

 **6 years ago / Hinata age 14**

"Hey! Wait up!" Hinata hollered. Horseback riding was Tenten's specialty.

Biting the dust wasn't how Hinata expected to spend the morning with her cousin's fiancé.

"I'm sorry, Hinata, the wind feels wonderful here." Tenten sighed, she rested her head on the neck of her grey Lipizzan horse.

The men had left to hunt in the west field of Uchiha manor. The morning had been too glorious to spend the day inside with embroidery. Tenten was the only one who took up Hinata's suggestion to go riding. Hinata knew Tenten would. It was as if the two future in-laws were sisters. They both loved the outdoors and sports, and hated small talk and gossip.

Taking in the breeze, Hinata enjoyed the autumn scenery. The leaves had turned into the color of flames. The slender yet sturdy trees held up a clear blue open sky. Bountiful harvests splayed themselves in the deep valley that laid in front of her.

They were at the top of the highest hill on the east field. It was dangerous to ride where the men hunted, because the rider may easily be mistaken as game. Hinata wore her brightest blue coat and Tenten wore one in gentle pink. They weren't hunters and they had no desire to be shot at.

Mischief snuck into Hinata's head, "Tenten, why don't we race to town?"

"You'll only lose. Gah! Quit it, Hinata. I feel like a show-off." Tenten replied with a grin.

Just for once, Hinata wanted to beat Tenten. Hinata's brown Arabian horse, Morena, was good in open plains not thick wooded hills. Hinata's advantage was that she knew a short-cut to town through the Uchiha Estate. Reckon, Hinata probably knew the Marquess Uchiha's Estate better than most of the men hunting here.

Using a short-cut was cheating, Hinata knew. But wouldn't it be nice to have something to rub in her ever perfect in-law's face? Being a ditz on many social occasions, Hinata gave Tenten to tease about. There was the time Hinata drunkly danced and stepped on Kiba Inuzuka feet until he had to excuse himself. One time Tenten had to hold Hinata's hair back as she vomited up the raw steak she wanted to try. The prim and proper Tenten wouldn't be caught dead being as wild as Hinata was. It was all in good fun.

"Loser buys winner a new fan. Ready? Set. Go!" The prepubescent girl charged off on her horse. Tenten caught up easily.

Hinata headed for North Side of Uchiha Estate. Tenten followed the horse worn trail down East Side between the trees.

"Yah! Yah! Yah!" Adrenaline rushed through her as her horse galloped. North Side was more friendly towards her long-legged Arabian horse, the trail was longer but the slopes less steep. Long straight trails were what her horse was bred for.

Right about here. _Follow the peach tree trail_ , she remembered.

She slowed her horse. They were about to reach a steeper part of the trail that led to an alcove in the woods.

There were two men in the alcove and two horses strapped to trees. _What are Sasuke and Itaru Inuzuka doing in North Side?_ West Side was where most of the prey were released.

Nevermind, Hinata turned her horse away from the alcove. A lady never spends time with men unchaperoned.

"Aaahhh!" _Crack._ Hinata heard an old man's cry and a dull crunch. Her head snapped around.

She saw Sasuke's hand unwrap around Itaru's neck. Kiba Inuzuka's father, Itaru, had had his head cleanly dislocated off of his neck backwards. Sasuke proceeded to drop Itaru's head onto a rock, standing clear of the blood splatter. The back of Itaru's head was bloodied.

Shock overtook her body. The grip she had on the reign loosened and her horse moved forward.

 _Crunch_.

With the breaking of branches under Morena's feet, Sasuke's eyes landed on Hinata.

Quickly, she struck Morena's belly hard with the back of her heel and headed for town.

"Hinata, wait!" _Wait? Wait for what, Sasuke? For you to break my neck too?_ Sasuke was chasing after her by horse.

Hinata had aways been gentle to Morena. Would her horse hold up with this kind of exertion? She chose the clearest path, one she knew Morena could handle. It was a path Sasuke had shown her before, but it didn't matter, she just needed to make it to town. From the sound of his horse, he was a good distance behind her.

Chills ran down her spine. She didn't want to think of what will be of her if he catches her.

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid Hinata. Why in heck's sake did she decide to race Tenten?

Now she was racing for her life.

 **o.o**

 **o.o.o.o.o**

 **o.o**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 Hear No Evil, See No Evil**

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

 _Loser again_. Tenten thought smugly.

Tenten decided to take tea at their favorite café, La Maison Rouge. They had both agreed to meet up there. It wasn't until high noon that Tenten began to worry. Was Hinata lost? Injured?

 _Merde!_

Tenten paid and mounted her horse quickly.

That's when she saw Hinata charge into town, completely out of breath.

"That horse isn't going to live very long, if its mistress takes to speeding as much as she eats." Tenten warned cheekily.

"Ugh! You make me sound so vulgar!" Hinata feigned offence. She giggled and forced a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

Curiously, that whole day the normally adventurous Hyuga clung to Tenten like a sick child.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

Sasuke had entered town long after Hinata did. _Why?_ She wondered. He had been on her tail for most of the trail.

When he came, he had the senior Inuzuka seated in front of him on his horse.

"Help! Somebody get the doctor!" The town folk heeded his orders.

"He fell off his horse onto a rock." Sasuke swallowed as he spoke, his baritone voice full of grief, his shoulders sunken—he was a perfect actor. Hinata couldn't believe her eyes. Kiba Inuzuka would be heartbroken, if he knew how his father had died.

 _What a coward! What a filthy liar!_ Hinata struggled to keep a straight face as she had in front of Tenten.

Suddenly his eyes flashed at her. Fear panged her trembling body.

If she wasn't so afraid, she would drag him off his horse and expose him for the murderer he was. But this town was his stomping ground. She'd be lucky if he didn't hire someone to get rid of her tonight.

Royalty came with many downsides. Arrogance was one of them. Life is treacherous. Coddled as Hinata was, she'd always assumed that she was safe. Now reality hit her.

She had been stupid and reckless. That was why she saw Sasuke kill Itaru. Now he was going to kill her.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

Sasuke Uchiha scared even himself at times. What had he planned to explain to Hinata even if he caught up to her? _Hey look, my father trains Akatsuki spies for the king? My assignment was to kill Itaru Inuzuka? Don't worry I'm not crazy?_

Illogically, he had chased after her. He endangered himself, the assignment, and even Hinata. She was not a trained liar. If she had entered town the same time as he did with a dead body, she'd be drilled with questions. In the best case scenario, people would question why an unmarried maiden was in the company of two men unchaperoned. Rumors would spread.

Fortunately, he caught his mistake early. He waited nearly half an hour after she left the café to barge into town with a cold dead body. Itaru had entered livor mortis, his capillaries were beginning to visible break and bruise. Blood pooling would give away the time of death. Blood pools into dependent body parts at approximately 2 hours. The Uchiha manor was only 40 minutes away from town on horseback—this would bring on suspicion. The best he could do was prop Itaru up into a sitting position on his horse, so that blood pooling and bruising occurred in the least noticeable body part, the feet. Of course, the town doctor knew better than to call Sasuke out on his lie that Itaru was freshly dead.

So, all is good and well. His mission was completed. All living parties involved can continue on blameless. Some town folk even called Sasuke a hero, it was an oxymoron if there ever was one. Itaru Inuzuka was like every other hit Sasuke had killed. No big deal. Why then did he feel like a tapeworm was eating him from the inside out?

 _Her eyes_. In the forest that day, she had looked at him with such horror and disgust—he felt like a man gone mad. He wanted to tell her the truth. He wanted to tell her everything. Itaru Inuzuka was a good and honest man, but he talked too much. Lord Inuzuka was of lesser nobility and financially in the middle class—he worked as the Head of Police. He had loved commoners too much. He voiced their suffering, their injustices, and their hunger. He had thoroughly pissed off King Orochimaru. If Sasuke had not killed him that day, another Akatsuki would have. Sasuke wanted to tell her that he had no choice. He wanted to plea to her what little innocence he had left.

Sasuke knew Itaru was a good person, he died for a petty reason. The best he could do was kill him as painlessly he knew how. He knocked Itaru unconscious in the temple and finished his work.

 _"Make it look like an accident," his father said._

Fugaku, Sasuke's father, was going to transfer Sasuke in Prussia. Sasuke had graduated from Gymnasium (high school) at age 14. He spent two years in University in France. The reason he was being transferred was to "research"—in other words, _spy_.

He won't be able to see her for the next 2 years. Leaving her, without some sort of closure bit at him. With what she's just seen, he doubted a warm goodbye from her was in the cards.

o.o

o.o.o.o

o.o

Tonight marked the last night of the hunting party. The men and their women would be sent off from the Uchiha castle manor. She sat there pretty in a copper dress. She wasn't the loudmouth social butterfly he knew. She didn't run up to annoy him and brag about what sports she thought she could _crush_ him at. No, she just clung onto her cousin's fiancé and pretended to be a quiet little wallflower.

 _Poison._ He thought he heard her whisper to her nurse, Kurenai. She had refused to eat anything at his estate her for the rest of her father's stay at the hunting residence. Kurenai had went to town and bought her sweets to hoard.

If he wanted her dead, poison was a very gaudy way to go about it—especially at a party. Sasuke would have laughed at his friend's ridiculous antics, if they hadn't made him so sad.

She was only 14. She was still so young and naive. It was better this way. Let her learn fear. The less she knew, the better.

He won't be explaining anything to her about the murder.

But he was going to have one last dance with her.

"Would you honor me with a dance, Lady Hyuga?" Sasuke made sure there was no mistaking exactly who he was asking. A lady always accepts a dance with the host.

"Y-yes. Thank you." She was timid.

The music changed. It was a waltz. Perfect. She would be within inches of him. He could tell her the warning he needed to.

"What you saw in the forest, never happened. You saw nothing, you heard nothing. That's what you must say to stay alive, do you understand?"

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 What You Are**

 **Back to present time / Hinata age 20**

 _"_ _Immodest creature, you do not want a woman who will accept your faults, you want the one who pretends you are faultless—one who will caress the hand that strikes her and kiss the lips that lie to her" –George Sand_

 _o.o_

 _o.o.o.o.o_

 _o.o_

All those poems about how women looked like angels when they slept seemed exaggerated. Many a mad men waxed nonsense to seduce women into indulging their voyeurism. Yet, Sasuke found the analogy fitting as he watched his bride sleep.

Her features were peaceful and content—as if living with him made her feel safe and happy.

The winged lashes of her eyes fluttered and she yawned. She was natural and vulnerable like this. Then she looked at him.

Hinata pushed herself up into a sitting position in her own corner of the bed. Her face scrunched up in a wince.

"Are you sore? Do you need to use the washroom?" Hovering over her as he babbled comfortably.

She slipped her legs of the side of the bed and she attempted to walk—only to lean on the nightstand. _Jelly!_ Her legs felt like jelly! Was he going to keep on doing what he did to her last night? Was that why he was pretending to be nice?

Abruptly, she felt herself scooped into his arms like a sack of feathers. He was carrying her to the washroom.

He placed her in the tub and turned the water on testing the temperature with the back of his hand. The same hand that struck her across the cheek last night. Hinata didn't know what convoluted mind games Sasuke wanted to play with her, but she wanted _out_.

The psychopath proceeded to pluck leaves off the potted parsley plant in the washroom. He crushed and ripped the leaves and threw them into her bathwater. Handing her a bar of soap, he gave an odd explanation, "Parsley helps heal bruises."

 _Does he do this often to other women? Bruises them and then fixes them up with parsley?_

Her father had jumped at the opportunity to marry her off to the richest marquess in the North. Did he know what a mad man Sasuke Uchiha was? This was exactly why she had ran from him like she would from fire.

He was mad. Murderous. Utterly crazy!

Hinata resisted the urge to throw soap at his airhead.

Anger was seeping out of her pores. Her wide lavender eyes darken and then narrowed.

"I'll give you some privacy." The loon had that much sense left in him.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

Soft sobbing filled Kurenai's ears from the hallway. Lord Sasuke had sent for Kurenai to care for Hinata.

"Mistress? It's me Kurenai."

"Kurenai? Come here, please!"

The girl was maniacally scrubbing at the skin on thighs with a washcloth as if she was porcelain tainted by grease.

Tears streamed down her face. "I can't get it off me!"

"Shhhh! Hinata. It's okay. It's like this for all of us. All women hate their husbands. All virgins hate their takers. Look at me, Hinata." Placing a firm hand over Hinata's hand, Kurenai gazed calmly into the girls eyes.

Rocking the Hinata's crown against her breast, Kurenai stroked her back. "Shhhh. Shhh."

"What's important is for you to stay alive. You need to take responsibility for your fate. Don't do anything rash, Hinata. I only have you."

Despite Kurenai's good intentions, her advice only fueled Hinata's rage. It shouldn't be like this. Hinata remembered how sweetly Naruto had treated her. Naruto had refused to sleep with her, in fear of impregnating her. He cared for her and her body. He had been afraid of bringing into the world a fatherless child. Hinata had a hard time believing Kurenai's words. It shouldn't be like this.

All of a sudden, Hinata's sobs returned. This time she was hysterical. Her arms splashed up bathwater as she pulled out of the surface to cover her face. "Make it stop! I can't live with him! I can't trust someone who's a murderer and a rapist!"

Worn hands cupped over Hinata's mouth. "Hinata, you stop that right this minute! If his servants hear you disrespecting him, they will poison you!"

Pale purple eyes grew wide and helpless. Hinata's head craned backwards wondering whether there was a God.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

 _"_ _Beat your wife on the wedding night and you'll have a happy marriage onwards."_ Those were his late father's words of advice.

Chiyo had taught him better. Sasuke had not wanted to beat Hinata, but she need to learn her lesson. A wife could build her husband up or cause him to die in ruin.

Sasuke had predicted Hinata's recklessness. Spoiled from childhood, she had always done as she wanted. Sasuke had matured more quickly than Hinata. He was familiar with the whip.

When Sasuke was fourteen, he ran away from home. He had loaded up his horse with food, money, and a sword. The way of the world was explained to the boy by Fugaku himself. It had been the day Sasuke received his first kill assignment—a commoner's cheating wife. Sasuke wanted nothing to do with it. Fugaku could shove his entire underworld empire up his bumhole.

Lanky and clumsy from growing, Sasuke was easily captured by Fugaku's men. He was beaten senseless.

 _"_ _There's a way to the world. You accept it—or it kills you."_ Fugaku had said.

A kind servant had bathe Sasuke in parsley and gave him ointment to heal. Sasuke thought it was the end of it. It wasn't. They had dragged in a girl, no older than sixteen—the commoner's cheating wife.

Fugaku had put a sword to Sasuke's neck. _Kill her or be killed_ had been his ultimatum. Fugaku had sired plenty of illegitimate heirs to take Sasuke's place. One look at his so-called father and Sasuke knew Fugaku planned to make good on his promise. Even if Sasuke chose to die, his father would still kill this woman. He knew that much about his father.

If his sword missed, it would only cause her more pain. Sasuke forced to his eyes open and slashed her head cleanly off her neck. She had wailed and beg for mercy just moments before. He still remembered swallowing his vomit afterwards.

Hinata had to learn as he did, because if she didn't learn quickly, they'll both be dead. Itaru Inuzuka thought he could make the world a better place, and he died senselessly. Royal court was a lethal world, one small slight offense—an offhand comment or a misdirected glance—was enough to get you killed.

Sasuke had chosen to marry Hinata at his smaller Summer residence. She could throw as many tantrums as she wanted here during their honeymoon. But when they return to the Main Uchiha manor, they must present a united front. If Hinata showed disrespect or disloyalty towards him, his servants and the king's spies will easily use their divide to kill them both. If the mistress disobeys the master in front of servants—the servants will disobey her. In such a scenario, Sasuke would be forced to fire the servants and bring in less trustworthy ones, or divorce Hinata.

Beige and small, the healing ointment jug sat at the top of the cellar shelf. Sasuke reached out to pick up the healing ointment jug in the cellar for Hinata. He walked through the master's bedroom and up to the closed washroom door. Right before he laid his hand on the door knob, he heard her cry a verdict.

 **"** **I can't trust someone who's a murderer and a rapist!"**

Candid as ever, his wife spoke the truth.

But even a devil had a heart, and she had torn it out of his chest.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5—Reunion with a Friend**

 _Guys this is not edited and rampant with grammar errors. I just need to get it down before I forget it. Also, if you don't like the story don't read it! Easy, right?_

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

"Shino! Shino! Can I borrow you chalkboard?" Naruto whispered excitedly.

"Here." Shino Aburame passed Naruto a small black plaque and blew out the candle on his nightstand. The left side of the bedroom went dark. Exhausted from the day's training, the new recruit drifted off to sleep. How Naruto had energy left to spend the night writing was beyond his fathom.

For the first time in six months, Naruto was allowed to write home. The parchment given to him was the whitest Naruto had ever seen. Shino had loaned Naruto his quill and ink well. Shino wouldn't be allowed to write home until another 4 months, he was a newer recruit.

As a blacksmith, Naruto would craft beautiful metal signs in cursive. He was dexterous, and his writing luxurious as any royal. Unfortunately, he made spelling and grammar mistakes by the dozen. Naruto didn't want Hinata to think he was too dense to take care of her. He held Shino's dictionary open. He practiced and practiced on Shino's chalkboard until half of the candle on his nightstand melted.

Resolutely, he stroked out his letter to Hinata:

 _Dearest beloved Hinata,_

 _Our captain has granted us permission to write home for the first time. I'm sorry if I have left you lonely. I hope you are well. Please write me back on your condition._

 _I have gained 15 kilograms. I eat and sleep well here. Barrack food is delicious and only meat is rationed, I eat as much bread as I like. My love, you have nothing to worry about. I adore you very much and think about you all the time. Wait for me._

 _May God bless us both,_

 _Naruto_

Frustratingly, Naruto ran out of parchment space. _I'll write smaller next time_. He signed the letter with a sigh.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

"Hey, Naruto!" Kiba Inuzuka placed down his lunch tray besides Naruto. "What house are you from? Who's ya family?"

"I-I was adopted, ya know?" Answering questions about lineage made Naruto nervous. His verbal tick "ya know" indicated to him his faltering confidence. "My father, he's passed away, but he was the head of the blacksmith's guild in our town!"

Naruto had never felt the need to brag or flaunt statuses—until he was surrounded by nobles in the Navy.

"Really? That's refreshin'! I'm just the oldest son of the former Head of Police. He's passed away too. People treat my family like we're nothing now." Kiba replied.

"My father's a duke, but I'm just a second-born son." Gaara chipped in. "I ain't got nothing to inherit."

Birth order made birthright. Second and third born sons of high nobility inevitably became middle or lower nobility—unless the first son died. There were second-born sons who became their father's favorites—in that case, they became heir and the first son would be cast aside. Even in families, there was unspoken war.

"Well, who's your family, Shino?" Naruto asked curiously. Suddenly, guilt chipped at him. The same question had made Naruto uncomfortable just a while ago, _what if Shino came from a bad-people family? Everyone will hate him. I shouldn't have put him on the spot._ "Actually, I don't care who's your family. You're a good soldier, Shino."

Shino coughed. "I'm the heir of the House of Aburame."

"Naruto's right, guys. This is the Navy, it ain't matter what you are, it matters who you are. We're all 'bout to be shipped out. I'm gonna fight for your life, if ya promise to fight for mine. Right, brothers?" Kiba whacked Naruto and Shino on their shoulders.

"Right!" The boys agreed.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

Captain Kakashi Hatake was pleasantly amused at the scene before him. Kakashi had expected the other boys to gang up on Naruto and beat him to a pulp. Claiming common heritage while surrounded by nobility was borderline suicide.

Instead, the least expected thing happened. Nobility had lowered itself to be Naruto's equal. The boys had wanted to be more like that lad, Naruto.

The Navy was a branch reserved for the sons of those favored by the king. But the fact that men were less likely to die in the Navy did not mean that they weren't going to die. They will die. Die by the dozens. Half of the smiling and eating faces in this dining hall will be wiped away within a month of war.

It was crying shame that family fights between brother kings would be paid with the lives of common men. It was a shame that goodhearted boys, like Naruto, were usually the first to die. They worried about others in a world where most everyone cared only for themselves. Kakashi had learned that first hand when he tried to save a true friend and teacher, Minato Namikaze. In the incident, Kakashi had almost lost his eye. A nasty scar occupied the left side of his face. It wasn't all in vain, Minato and Kushina had died, but their son Naruto lives on. Fate had come full circle, and now Kakashi would be training his teacher's son.

Kakashi had tested Naruto's memory, but it seemed the amnesia the boy developed at age 4 was still present. Naruto remembered nothing of his parents, Minato and Kushina. Perhaps he had sustained a head injury, or perhaps the trauma was just too great. Maybe it was better this way. What he does not know won't hurt him, he won't go seeking revenge.

Even if the boy had not been his friend's son, Kakashi would have still liked him. The blonde had a merry sense of humor and was full of surprises—-and he lacked entitlement. He was easy to teach and always full of questions. Royal rich pricks would complain about the barrack food, while Naruto ate anything he could get his hands on. Perhaps the decision to hide Naruto as a commoner had been for the best-it taught him work ethic.

The boy had a pinpoint focus and a stubborn determination to him. He did everything with all of his heart. When the trainees were told to hold up sacks of coal, Naruto held the bags over his head until the 30 minutes were up. Other boys nagged that they were royal and shouldn't have to do such things.

Refreshing he was indeed.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

In sword fighting, Naruto was Kakashi's favorite student. Naruto had stamina. He showed no signs of exhaustion, it was an odd similarity Naruto also shared with the late Kushina. He learned with such fervor and enthusiasm, Naruto would always thank Kakashi after each lesson. Gratitude and respect went a long way with Kakashi. Watching the boy fight was like poetry in motion, he was so well-coordinate. His footwork was exemplary. The boy was a natural.

With the buffet style meals, Kakashi noticed the lanky wire of a boy had began to gain muscle mass. He kept getting better and better. It was no wonder the boys in the barracks wanted to be like Naruto. Naruto came from nothing and had accomplished to be so much in his time of training. An archer with a true aim and a swashbuckler swift on his toes.

Unfortunately, the one thing Naruto currently lacked was strategy and training. In sword matches, Kakashi was still able to trample the young man due to this deficit. Kakashi would use Machiavellian tactics and deal cowardly blows to Naruto with his wooden sword. Better for Naruto to learn now then later.

"Hey! That's not fair." Naruto exclaimed. His bottom on the ground, his sword thrown off to the side,

"Life's not fair. You just died, you idiot." Kakashi said nonchalant. "Get up and fight like your life depends on it." _Because someday it will._

Kakashi melee his sword at Naruto. His strikes rapid, he struck every which way. Kakashi was whacking his sword like a maniac, there was no noticeable rhyme or reason to his movements. Naruto's senses were overwhelmed. _What the hell, Kakashi?_

Naruto was so focused on blocking the strikes, he didn't block the boot descending for his head. The tip of the boot landed 2 inches behind Naruto's temple. Kakashi had made sure to avoid the pressure point, he wanted the boy on the ground, but not fainting. Naruto landed on the ground, Kakashi's wooden sword tip followed his neck—although Naruto still had his sword in his hand, Kakashi had stepped on his wrist. Checkmate.

"Try to pull what I did to you—on me." Kakashi ordered.

Naruto tried and tried, but he never caught Kakashi off-guard. The captain had remain calm and used very few movements to block and dodge. Naruto tried to overwhelm Kakashi with rapid movements as Kakashi had done. Then, he tried to charge Kakashi only to miss.

"Why? How come you're not overwhelmed?" Naruto asked in wonder.

"Watch the eyes. Your opponent always looks at the places they plan to strike in the future."

Naruto then caught on. Naruto began to predict Kakashi's movements. Kakashi's eyes had flicked towards Naruto's head, Naruto blocked. Kakashi's eyes glanced at Naruto's knee, he blocked—but then Kakashi struck Naruto in the shoulder.

"Don't get lazy just because you learned one trick. That trick was just to think one step ahead. You have to stay three, six, nine steps ahead. Again!"

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

 **So the fencing scene between Kakashi and Naruto was a lesson my mom taught me in Karate. I have to give her credit. I thought she was such a badass. There's a bunch of tricks on how to figure out your opponent's next move. Of course she just swept me off my feet, she never goes for the temple. I kind of wanted to show off Kakashi's precision how he can land exactly right behind it-temple blows (most strikes above the shoulder are illegal where I'm from) are an asshole move in sparring. You should never hit the head in play fights, its super dangerous and can lead to death. But from what I remembered about Kakashi, he was all about porn, seeing "underneath the underneath," and tough love-so near temple blows seemed pretty fitting.**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6) From Your Loving Parents

 **16 years ago / Naruto age 4**

Satires have been written about France, England and Spain. The kings and nobles of these countries had practically once been brothers or cousins—they shared bloodlines. They were like children fighting each other in a small sandbox. When France got in a fight with Spain—French commoners were told **,** ** _the Spanish people are very, very bad, but the English are okay though_** **.** When France got in a fight with England—French commoners were told, **_the English are wicked, now, and the Spanish are our friends, now that we have beaten the sense back into their heads!_** And don't even get started with them about the Austrians. Such was feudal patriotism. It would be funny, if it wasn't so sad.

Captain Kakashi Hatake mused. This was exactly why Minato and Kushina Namikaze were in the situation they were in. Both were loyal, athletic, and brilliant—yet how could they have known? They loved their country and had served it their whole lives, now their new king wanted them dead.

Both Minato and Kushina Namikaze had been born into a cardinal sin of espionage—mixed loyalties. Minato's father was an English nobleman, his mother was French. However, his lineage was not as great a sin compared to Kushina's. Kushina's mother had been born an English princess. Kushina's grandparents were reigning King Jiraiya and Queen Tsunade of England. The couple had been born and raise in France, and had sworn loyalty to their homeland of France. They had chosen their loyalties.

Minato was head of the Akatsuki. He had trained and worked with many spies including Kushina, Kakashi, and Fugaku. Once upon a time, the Akatsuki had trained and used both English and French spies across the Channel. That was back when the two countries had been allies against Spain. Unfortunately, the winds of favor had changed. The new King Orochimaru made war with England. There was a bloody purge in order.

The couple was as guilty as they were accused to be—they had mixed loyalties. Minato refused to purge the children of mixed heritage, he requested to step down from his position and leave Akatsuki forever. Kushina requested asylum from her grandparents in England. But they did more than that. They worried about others when they should have just ran for their lives.

Kakashi owed Minato his life. Kakashi Hatake was of mixed lineage—his father was an Englishman. Kakashi should have been one of the Akatsuki agents killed by the king. And yet, Kakashi was spared. Minato had stolen the king's Book of Debts. He torn out pages and rewrote the lineages of dozens of spies—the new pages were then sewn back into book. Kakashi received fake papers and was enlisted into the Navy.

Due to the King's paranoia, there would have been internal bloodbath. But the Akatsuki would have been devastated if the king's exact orders had been carried through—more than half of Akatsuki would have been killed off. The other half, full French were apathetic about the impending genocide. The King's cowardice did not end there. Fully English spies, those who had been rented out to France through the alliance that was no longer, were all killed-there had not been enough time for them to escape.

Fortunately, Kushina's best friend Hitomi Hyuga helped the Namikaze family escape. Kushina, Minato, and Naruto were all hiding at the Hyuga's Summer Estate by the beachfront. Kakashi's boat was making its way there pick them up.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

 _Her son_. Kushina had to go and fetch her son. It was bloodbath outside. Her husband was fending off soldiers by himself outside the porch.

Using a cummerbund as a bandage, she tied up the injury on her thigh. Each step she took sent a sharp stabbing pain up her spine. She had reached the hallway when Hitomi appeared with her eyes wide. Hitomi had entered through the backdoor.

"What happened?"

"Help me get Naruto out of here," Kushina said to her friend.

Hitomi Hyuga came over to Kushina and slipped an arm underneath her armpit. She was acting as a crutch to support Kushina. But in Hitomi's flared sleeves was a pointed dagger. Quietly, Hitomi slipped the dagger to her fingertips and she stabbed it into Kushina's left side. If the Kushina hadn't shifted out of Hitomi's arms—the dagger could have landed right in the heart. It landed in the base of Kushina's lungs. Now, Kushina understands. She had been stabbed in the back.

Kushina slid down on the wall. Let Hitomi think she's been stabbed in the heart. Kushina groaned. _It to hurts stand! It hurts to breath!_

Hitomi turn her back to Kushina and was making her way to Naruto's bedroom door.

"Hitomi! Don't do this, we're friends!" Stalling Hitomi's approach on Naruto. Kushina drew her knees to her chest, her fingers inched towards the bottomed of her boot.

Hitomi had always secretly hated Kushina, the princess's daughter. Kushina was a red-headed loudmouth athlete who always thought she was the best. _God! Hitomi hoped Hinata didn't grow up to be like Kushina. That girl was always jumping around. Well, serves Kushina right, look at her now. You're not so amazing now, are you, Kushina?_ Hitomi turned around with a smug grin. "My friend, there are no friends."

Kushina had hurled a throwing knife into Hitomi's carotid artery—blood gushed out of Hitomi's neck. The blue-haired woman hit the floor.

"Mama! I had a bad dream!" Four-year old Naruto burst out of his bedroom. Blood was beginning to soak the front of Kushina's shirt despite the pressure she applied there. The pain was breathtaking.

"Shh. We're going to play the quiet game, okay?" _Minato please come quickly_.

"No, Mama! Noo!" The boy started crying loudly. He patted his mother's bloodstained shirt as if he could put the blood back into her. _He needs to shut up, or he's going to die._

She knocked her son in the temple with her fist. He fainted, but he was still breathing and his heart rate regular. Milking Hitomi's neck for blood and Kushina smeared it on her sleeping son's face and clothes. She made holes in his thick wool night garments with a spare knife. Naruto appeared as if he was dead in Kushina's arms. **_Your daddy will know the difference. Naruto, you will be saved. I'm so sorry Naruto, Mommy couldn't stay alive with you._**

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

Hiashi Hyuga entered the hallway. "Hitomi!"

Cradling his wife's face in his hands, tears leaked out of Hiashi's eyes. Then his head snapped at Kushina. "You! You killed her."

Hiashi drew his sword and slammed it into Kushina's belly. By now, she's lost too much blood to feel pain. She just felt dizzy and numb.

"You're son's still breathing." Hiashi wondered.

"He's dead." Kushina cried in anguish, her son was not dead but soon he will be motherless, tears leaking out of her eyes. She cradled Naruto to her chest.

Hiashi reached over to the boy's neck, as if he wanted to take Naruto's pulse. Kushina slapped his hand away. She sobbed theatrically. "Just leave us alone! I'll haunt you! I'll become a ghost and come back to haunt you!"

Hiashi had once been Akatsuki. Something didn't seem right. He didn't know what it was. He checked the bedroom. He came out and stared at the mother and son. Kushina was still, her head craned backwards facing the heavens. Hiashi could have sworn he saw the boy breath.

Hiashi reached out to feel the pulse on the boys wrist. Kushina twitched her hand around the boy's neck a little—probably just reflex rigor mortis.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

She would stay alive. Kushina would stay alive until Minato comes. She still needs to protect Naruto. She stilled herself and meditated. Shock kills you before the sword does. She had to calm down and slow her breathing. She craned her head back against the wall.

Hiashi came out of Naruto's bedroom. Persistent bastard that he was, he picked up Naruto's arm and was about to feel for the boy's pulse.

Kushina was about to make a huge gamble with her son's life. With the hand cradled around his neck she felt for his carotid artery, she avoid it. She felt for the vagus nerve. Kushina gave a hard push with two fingers—quick as a twitch. Her son's heart had stopped. Naruto stopped breathing.

Hiashi felt for the pulse on the arm, there was none. He felt for the pulse on the neck. _The boy is dead. Kushina is dead. Hiashi had slayed Minato himself. The entire Namikaze clan was wiped out. He had done as the king ordered._

Hiashi carried his beautiful dead wife home.

He would have the mess cleaned up in the morning.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

As soon as Hiashi left, Kushina performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on Naruto. She gave him rescue breaths. She interlocked her fingers and pounded on her son's heart with the heel of her palm. **_Please be alive! Naruto!_**

"Nghuuuhh!" The boy gasped. His eyes fluttered. Naruto rubbed his eyes and went back to sleep. He had a terrible nightmare, Lady Hyuga was dead and his mommy was hurt bad. Sleep would help him recover from the exhaustion on his heart. He was breathing. His heart was beating.

 _Good._ Kushina thought.

Kushina died moments later.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

There had been an attack on Kakashi's boat. _A Hyuga vessel_.

His humble boat was blown to bits by cannons. The shrapnel was millimeters from cutting his left eye open. He dove underwater until it was safe to surface. The saltwater stopped the bleeding on his face, but it stung like a wench.

He was shipwrecked about half a mile from shore, he could see the beach house and small dots squarming. _Ambush_.

The Hyugas had betrayed the Namikazes, Kakashi had to swim there quickly.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

Fuck. Kakashi thought. He as too late.

Minato lied dead at the doorway. Slews of dead soldiers lied around him. Kakashi made his way inside the house—in case Minato left anything behind any clues, any messages for him and the leftover Akatsuki.

Kushina sat against the wall with a sword in her belly and her son in her arms. Kakashi rushed over to see if she could be saved. No, her body had turned cold and stiff.

Shockingly, Naruto sat up. His night garments bloodied with holes in them. Kakashi jumped backwards slightly. The boy opened his eyes and stood up.

"Where am I?" Naruto asked.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

Tears came to Kakashi's eyes. He thought the world of Minato and Kushina. They were one in a thousand. They stood up and fought for what they believed in. How many nobles used the king's orders as an excuse to do inhumane things? And yet, these two people had chosen to give mercy to many others. Minato and Kushina carried themselves with the dignity of a king and a queen.

Kakashi had asked why Minato defied the king's orders, it was betrayal to the country.

 _"War exists between countries fighting over trade routes. A country is just an idea. I am scum for betraying my country. But I'll be even worse than that if I betray my friends and family."_

Minato had the choice to hand over Kushina's head to King Orochimaru-and his son and himself would be spared-but Minato never told Kushina of this. He had loved her too much. Perhaps Minato made the right choice.

Even in this tragedy, Kushina's instincts had kept her son alive. Kakashi had thought he had seen a ghost. But the boy babbled harmlessly in confusion. He told Naruto to sit down to stabilize any wounds. Kakashi took off the boy's clothes so he could check for any wounds. Naruto had none.

But there were some problems at hand. What to do with Naruto? Naruto would not survive royal court in England by himself. Kakashi was still entrenched with the Akatsuki and the Hyugas knew about him. So where to hide Naruto?

On top of that, the boy seemed to acquire some form of amnesia. He couldn't remember his own name, even though Kakashi told him five times. Kakashi got annoyed and wrote Naruto's name on his arm in quill.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

Perhaps it was because Kakashi had been waterlogged—but he decided to give Naruto to a blacksmith. Iruku Uzumaki was the blacksmith's name, he was the head of the blacksmith's guild in this town. He was a free mason. Iruku and his wife Ayame had been wanting a child for 10 years. They couldn't have one naturally. They also didn't have enough money to buy an orphan.

Orphans would be admitted into orphanages. The money used to cover food and shelter would be debt the adopting parents would have to pay. Of course if the orphans grew up, they would become indentured servants. The adult orphans would spend the rest of their lives working to pay off that debt. There was so much money to be made. So it was almost impossible to buy a French orphan out of servitude.

Kakashi was at a tavern in a town two hours away from the Hyuga estate. He downed his ale and listened to Iruka. He nodded sympathetically.

Kakashi went up to his tavern bedroom and fetched Naruto.

"Walk into the house with two swords over the door. Ask for something to eat. You have no mommy or daddy."

Naruto walked up to the house aimlessly.

Kakashi hid in an alleyway and watched. The couple had taken the boy in. But Kakashi would keep watch for the rest of the week. Iruka and Ayame doted on the blonde child. They tolerated his constant questioning, even his idiotic memory loss. The child seemed to forget the answer as soon as they told it to him.

From then on, Kakashi would visit the town once a year. Naruto grew up happy and healthy.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7 Daily Wonderings**

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

 **Present time**

 ** _Wait for me._**

Covering her hand over her mouth, Hinata cried. Their love was over. She was no longer a virgin. No longer was she pure and worthy of his love. Never again can she dream of ever marrying Naruto. He would never accept her.

Sasuke had torn up part of her soul that she could never have back.

Naruto had told her to wait for him in his letter. She had failed him.

Drawing a deep breath, Hinata gathered herself and burned his letter. Sasuke Uchiha had people watching her day in and day out. Hinata had pretended to checked her powder and caught the same merchant watching her since she left the manor in her pocket mirror. Sasuke needs not find Naruto's letter.

From the fact that Naruto said he could eat all the bread he wanted in his letter, Hinata knew he was in the Navy. Buffet style meals were reserved for sons of nobles. At least Sasuke had made good on that end of his promise.

Whether Naruto knows it or not, he was being held hostage in the Navy. Sasuke could use Naruto against Hinata at any time. With the connections and power Marquess Sasuke had, he could easily have Naruto killed off.

 _From this moment forward-I, Hinata, have no ties with Naruto._ Hinata decided to herself. Marchioness Hinata had to convince her husband that she loved only him.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

Picking up her mail, Ayame was pleasantly surprised. Naruto had sent her a letter. Rushing home to read the letter, Ayame walked quickly. Unfortunately, Rock Lee decided to exchange greetings with her that exact moment at the post office. He excitedly gave her updates on the blacksmith's forge. Profits had went up. The youth wanted her permission to hire two more apprentices for the shop. She told him to screen carefully and hire only one. Rapid expansion would harm business.

It was unbelievable really. God had been kind to her. She had a good husband, a good son, and kind friends. In her old age, Ayame was blessed with a good life.

Life had not always been this easy. Ayame was a German serf. Iruka and she fell in love. But, the master wanted to sell her off to a whorehouse for a pretty penny. That should have been the end of their love story.

Unexpectedly, Ayame would learn her love was a remarkable man. He made a way where had not been one. He found a way for the two of them to live together. A moderate plague had killed off many in France and the German Kingdoms at the time. France also had impending war with Spain. Blacksmiths suddenly became the highest guild of artisans in demand. Iruka was an indentured blacksmith—a serf like Ayame. But now, Iruka could bargain for his lot in life.

Lords of manors began to "steal" serfs from other lords-when the population had shrunk, common people were treated better, people had more rights. They were offered shorter periods of servitude, greater pay, or even freedom. Iruka struck a deal with a scout from Fugaku's estate. Iruka and half a dozen of his blacksmith friends would work for Fugaku, if they were granted status as free masons. Free masons were what indentured servants became when they had no debt—no contract to bound them into feudal slavery. They were below nobles, but they would be able to earn their keep.

Their German group had braved travel by foot all the way to Fugaku's village of Caen.

Iruka's love for her never seized to amaze her. Even when she was childless for a whole decade, he had remained faithful. He never had a mistress. He never beat her for being barren, so many men bruised their wives over infertility.

Naruto had grown up to be every bit the man his adopted father had been. Village girls would bring their most delicious dishes to share with Ayame over supper. Ayame would entertain and tease them. They were after her son. He had become the most sought after bachelor among commoners.

The respect Naruto had among the men and women of Caen was hard-earned. Even Iruka's acceptance of Naruto had been difficult to gain. Ayame and Iruka had been delighted to have a free orphan at their door. But when kindergarten started, the child lagged behind. He kept forgetting simple things like the letters of the alphabet. Ayame sat him down and made sure he caught up with the other children in school. She had been afraid that the teachers would cast him out of school.

One night, Iruka had came to her. He told her that he would give Naruto to an orphanage. This boy would not be competent enough to care for the couple in their old age. Naruto would not be competent enough to run the blacksmith's forge. Ayame cried, she refused. If she had no child, she would have no one to care for her either way. It made no difference, she reasoned. Ayame bargained with her husband. If he could impregnate her or find another child to adopt-she would go along with it.

Further distress had be brought on Iruka when Naruto brought home Rock Lee to play with. It seemed the two most stupid boys in class had become close friends. Regardless, Ayame was happy for Naruto. The boy had come home every class with fresh bruises that other children doled out for being a forgetful moron. Since Rock Lee became his friend, Naruto had been bruised much less often.

And then, a miracle happened. At around age seven, Naruto was no longer forgetful. He caught up with the other children. Still, the feeling of inadequacy would follow Naruto for the rest of his life. There was a feverish need in Naruto to obsessively better himself. Naruto eventually excelled his peers in school and in sports. Rock Lee, being quite dense himself, found inspiration in Naruto's progress and studied harder. Iruka came to accept Naruto.

When Iruka fell ill Naruto took over the blacksmith's forge. Naruto worked so much that he slept less than five hours a night. He had covered all of Iruka's medical expenses. When Iruka died, the men at the forge did not plan rebellion-Naruto had longed earned their respect. He became boss at the forge. Ambitiously, Naruto bought Ayame and himself lesser noble status.

There were high nobles, middle nobles, lower nobles, and lesser nobles. Lesser noble status could be bought by upper class merchants and tradesmen. Ayame was shocked. Her son was too audacious. There was a clear and rigid social hierarchy and Naruto planned to climb it.

 _"The upper class wants us to think it's impossible, Mama. But it is not. They just want to scare us out of wanting something better for ourselves."_

He had been right. With lesser noble status, Naruto bought a humble plot of land and built a new forge that was his own. Naruto would still pay taxes to Fugaku's local government, but the land now belonged to Uzumakis. With lesser noble status, Ayame was able to retire from her job as a cook and spend her time gardening. The money from Naruto's forge supported her. Naruto had left instructions on proper business management before he left for the Navy. Rock Lee was managing the forge for Naruto. Rock Lee protected Ayame from being overwhelmed by the men at the forge. That honest youth, Rock Lee, did not cheat Ayame of a single penny. Naruto chose his friends well.

Ayame was proud of the son she raised.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8 Thieving Imp**

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

 **16 years ago / Hinata and Naruto age 4**

o.o

Two days after Christmas was Hinata's birthday. Her Christmas presents were her birthday presents, so she was not going to get anymore presents. Somehow, she _still_ felt excited about today. She was four! _One, two, three, four!_ She fanned the four fingers of her right hand happily.

With her face cleanly washed and her teeth brushed, Hinata was now allowed to play with the children of the other guests. She scanned the luxurious living room and elaborate dining room of the Namikaze Household. Children were playing with the presents they had received. Hinata locked on to her target-Naruto .

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

Naruto counted the rows. _One, two, three._ He counted the columns. _One, two, three._ He counted a total of nine truffles. They were all deliciously his.

Croaching down next to him, Hinata sighed longingly, "You got sweets!"

Hinata loved sweets. Her mother had confiscated her box of candy, because she was worried Hinata would be **_fat_** **.** Hinata didn't know what **_fat_** was, but it sounded bad.

"Can I have one?" Hinata asked politely. Naruto nodded. They played with Hinata's wooden tops and competed over whose top spun longer. Hinata happily munched on the truffles as they played. Closing her eyes, Hinata absorbed their deliciousness into her memories.

Sanguinely, Hinata reached out for another truffle. Naruto's hand clasped over hers. "Eat _slow_ , Hinata."

Hinata nodded with her mouth full, but her urges were now beyond her control. Strawberry, chocolate, caramel, white chocolate, mascarpone, lemon, hazelnut, and cherry! _What other wonderful flavors were awaiting her?_ Greedily gobbling up the truffle already in her mouth, Hinata reached out for another.

But the box was closed. Naruto picked up the box and made a run for it.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

Naruto knew how to count, he thought indignantly. He ate two and she ate five. She got more than he did. There were only two precious truffles left.

Hinata quickly stuffed her wooden tops back into her dress pockets. She ran after the boy.

"Share, Naruto! Share! Share!" Screeching like a banshee, she scurried after him down the marble hallway. The blonde boy dressed in blue was not hard to pick out from the crowd. His hair practically made a golden target on his head.

 _What a cheat!_ She got the lion's share and now she wanted more! The mischievous thieving imp was catching up to him with her monstrously fast feet.

Finally, Naruto reached his mother. He hid behind her. Kushina knelt down to his level to pick him up, it was naptime. Suddenly, Hinata ran smack into Kushina's back. The redheaded lady turned around with Naruto propped on her knee. Pretty dark blue eyes lined with red lashes faced Hinata.

"I'm so sorry, misses." Panicked, Hinata's large eyes widened further. Hinata always got spanks for running and screaming. If Hinata said sorry, the spanks would not hurt as bad.

"It's alright, Hinata. Well, Naruto, why don't you share? Be a gentleman." Naruto felt his mother's eyes pressuring him. Frowning, he pick up a jade colored pistachio truffle and placed it out in Hinata's direction. The girl cradled it with two open palms, like it was the most precious jewel.

However, Naruto wasn't so sure he wanted to ever play with Hinata again. Greedy little creature that she was. Suddenly, Hinata leaned over and gave him a grateful peck on the cheek, "Thank you, Naruto!"

Well, maybe the bluenette was not **_too_** bad. Naruto thought.

"Off to naptime you go now, Hinata." The lady patted the birthday girl on the crown of her head.

The girl skipped happily off to nap. No spanks and she got candy! Hinata decided she like Miss Kushina and Naruto very much.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9 United Front**

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

 **Present Time**

 ** _"I can't live with him! I can't trust someone who's a murderer and a rapist!"_**

 _If a noble says something one finds unpleasant, one should pretend not to have heard it._ This was a simple advice to keep good manners in court.

So, for the last few weeks, Sasuke pretended. He pretended he wasn't hurt. Hadn't he dealt out such callous discipline upon her as her husband? So, he should just keep a stiff upper lip. Hinata had only dealt out a fraction of hurt compared to what he had done to her. He was being petty over a little comment.

He was afraid for her. He stopped touching her. He stopped trying to break her. He slept in the guest bedroom and she slept in the master's. There were not many servants, but at this point, he cared not about gossip. He hired people watch Hinata. Sasuke was afraid his wife would commit suicide.

They had returned to his main estate in Caen. Sasuke contemplated his life with her as he caught up with work in his underground office in the catacombs. His office was elegant and furnished as any room in his house. The ancient caves leading up to his office, however, were lined with skulls and human bones. Vaulted inside a tomb was the Book of Debts.

Sasuke needed to update his Book of Debts to match the changes made by the King. Whoever possessed the Book of Debts controlled the Akatsuki. There were two copies of the Book of Debts, one for the king and one for the head of Akatsuki. The books were updated so that the two copies held the exact same information. Rumor had it that the former head of Akatsuki, Minato Namikaze, had once stolen the King's copy. Sasuke scoffed at the impossible idea.

Along with the updates that the King approved, Sasuke had received an invitation.

o.o

 _To the Marquess Sasuke Uchiha,_

 _His Majesty, the King Orochimaru invites you to present your bride to his Royal Court at the Spring Solstice Banquet._

o.o

The catacomb tunnels beneath the Main Uchiha Estate had passages that lead directly into the grounds of Versailles, the capital. The passage to the capital was 200 kilometers or approximately 14 hours by horse. In a week, Sasuke and Hinata will be traveling through the catacombs to attend the banquet. Soon, Sasuke had to teach Hinata about her role as Mistress of Akatsuki.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

The entrance into the catacombs led into the Main Estate's cellar. The stair well was wide enough for three horse carriages. Sasuke had returned to his estate at 3 o'clock in the middle of the night. He washed himself before bed. He peeked inside his wife's room. She was fast asleep.

He walked to her bedside. Her wrists were still bruised, but intact. Sasuke had recurring nightmares where she would slit her wrists vertically along her veins and no doctor could save her. Sasuke brushed a rogue curl off her face. She was so reckless and unpredictable.

"Mmm." She shifted in her sleep. The moonlight shone on her features, it highlighted her pert nose, full eyebrows that made her look kind, delicate butterfly eyelashes, a pert nose, and pink bow-shaped lips. Her pale skin glowed. Her midnight blue curls splayed out on the pillow. Her breathing was steady and calm.

He would not disturb her peace. He left the room.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

 _Fugaku held a sword to Sasuke's neck_ _ **Kill her or be killed**_ _. They dragged in the commoner's cheating wife, she was dressed in the same gray dress and bonnet. Both of her hands were bound behind her back. Except when she looked up at him, it was Hinata's face. Sasuke's hands trembled._

 _"Please don't kill me, it was a mistake! It's all a misunderstanding! You have to believe me, Sasuke." Hinata shook her head as she plead._

 _Quickly, Sasuke drew out his sword and pointed it at his father._ _ **Spare us or be killed**_ _. Sasuke replied._

 _With a stunned expression, Fugaku looked down at the sword pointed at him. His father was a coward, Sasuke realized. Panicking, Fugaku's eyes shifted back and forth between Sasuke and the sword pointed at his neck. Fugaku backed away from Sasuke and ran off._

 _Sasuke turned around to untie his wife-_

 _Suddenly, he saw Naruto slash Hinata's head off her neck._

 **Sasuke sat up with gasp. Fugaku had died. Fugaku was in his grave. It had all been a dream.**

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

When Sasuke woke up, thunder was rumbling outside their castle. Hinata was curled up in bed next to him. She must have climbed into his bed in the middle of the night. Blue eyelashes fluttered and her pupils gazed at him. She sat up and stroked his back.

"What's wrong, Sasuke?"

"Nothing"

She placed her cheek against his arm, she was holding him in her embrace. "Was it a bad dream?"

"Yes," He returned her embrace and lowered her onto his bed. They were laying on their sides, facing each other. She gave him a peck on his forehead.

Sasuke found comfort in her calm, kind lavender eyes. She stroked his head and shoulders. Trust and warmth refilled his body as he nested his head in her neck. This was the way he wanted things to be, forever.

"Hinata, can you sing me those lullabies? The ones you used to sing?" Hope returned to him with each touch, each stroke she granted him. Perhaps he was hoping for too much.

 _"Fish must swim,_

 _Birds must fly,_

 _I must love one man_

 _Until I die."_

She hummed and sang him to sleep.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

The next morning, Sasuke told her about Akatsuki. The only way out of Akatsuki was in a coffin. _Loyalty until death_ was the motto. Whatever fate dealt to him, she would suffer. If she were to fail, he would follow.

Hinata understood him now. She learns of the reason why Sasuke killed Itaru Inuzuka. She was now queen to his underworld.

She would protect him.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

Bandits infested the forests. So, the couple and their servants traveled through the underground tunnels.

The catacombs spooked Hinata. For miles and miles, the walls of the caves were lined with human bones. The skulls bore at her. She had wanted to ride her horse as fast as she could to Versailles. She wanted to get out of the catacombs.

Sasuke had stopped her. He warned her that the catacombs were ancient. Hinata could travel 200 kilometers in six to seven hours. However, the catacombs were old. The walls could collapse. If her horse galloped too fast, too hard, or too loudly both husband and wife would be trapped in tombs forever.

Her husband was right and she began to follow him closely. The cave would fork into multiple different paths. It was easy to get lost. Even with a map, Sasuke had to get off his horse multiple times to look for distinct landmarks.

Venturing deeper into the more narrow damp parts of the catacombs, Hinata saw dirt from the tops of the caves fall onto their heads. Servants whispered about bandits who died in traps in the catacombs. They spoke of walls in certain alcoves that would leak out poison, it would make you go mad first, and then kill you.

It was as if the skulls were an omen of what lied ahead in Versailles.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10 Carnival Palace**

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

 _Carnival (n)-a celebration of the flesh_

A bracelet adorned Hinata's wrist. The bracelet was made of multiple metals: copper, silver, iron, and gold. _Dunk it in you tea_. If any of the charms changed colors, she won't drink it.

Sasuke kept food in a locked clothing trunk. She had a key to it on her bracelet. There was enough cheese, powdered bread rolls, water, apples, and dried meats to last the two of them a week. She was told to eat as little as was offered in the palace as possible, especially dry foods like pastries or steaks.

When Hinata sat down for the banquet, there was a servant behind her. Like all the other royals, Hinata would feed the first bite to the servant in case there was poison. The approach was full of folly, Sasuke pointed out. For instance, Sasuke could use poison salts on half the steak and leave the other half clean—the servant would know to eat only a clean piece, and leave the whole poisonous steak to the master. In addition, most poisons used kill you hours **_after_** you had eaten. It would appear as if you only had a heart attack.

Kurenai and Hidan took turns keeping guard outside Hinata and Sasuke's bedroom. Inside their bedroom, Sasuke kept watch as Hinata slept. When Sasuke slept, Hinata was on her guard. She would practice her daggers in the dark to stay awake.

o.o

The first night she had stayed there, she pulled open a drawer. Another drawer launched out causing her to fall, then the drawers retracted themselves. The entire teal wardrobe chest descended upon her. Sasuke quickly shoved a trunk in her direction to prop the wardrobe up, and she crawled out from beneath the wardrobe. Otherwise, the wardrobe would have crushed her.

On further inspection, there was a large metal levee behind the wardrobe that would cause the furniture to collapse on its user. Whenever a shelf was pulled on, the mechanism was sprung. It was a trap.

As Sasuke inspected the room for traps, Hinata told him she wanted a different room. Sasuke insisted they stay in their assigned room. A new room meant new traps.

o.o

Her entire stay at Versailles had been a carnivalesque nightmare. Within six days at the palace, Hinata had begun to become delirious. Between the events and guarding Sasuke, Hinata only got three hours of sleep each night. She hasn't showered since she left Caen. She felt hungry, tired, and grumpy. Hinata felt like punching Sakura in the face.

"Rumor had it that you used to be a nun. Perhaps it's because you act so holier-than-thou."

"People will talk, Sakura." Hinata shrugged off her old friend's backhanded comments. _Life was about survival not competition. The soft answer turns away wrath._ Naruto had taught Hinata that.

Sakura's eyes brightened like she saw something she wanted. _Let's humiliate Hinata_. "We haven't heard from you at all. Where have you been these last five years?"

"I wasn't a nun. I just studied healing at the Women's Abbey in Caen." Hinata gave a short reply.

"Impressive!" Ino said, the eagerness in her eyes indicated honesty.

Tenten played with her sleeve nervously. Hinata's father had developed a gambling problem. The brunette knew this was true reason why her in-law, Hinata, was sent to the abbey.

"How charming!" Sakura scoffed. "How very like you to mingle with the orphans."

"What have **_you_** been up to these past five years, Sakura?" Hinata turned the question back on Sakura. Hinata was getting tired of the attention-good and bad.

"Oh, you know, I have been studying dance and music. I attend debutante balls." Sakura answered.

"Any suitors?" Ino asked in innocent curiosity.

Cherry red colored Sakura's face in embarrassment. _No._ Sakura Haruno had no suitors.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

Hunger made Hinata return to her room. A servant was leaving the room Hinata shared with Sasuke. The couple had requested no servants.

Hinata drew a dagger from her sleeve and threw it. Her dagger pinned the servant's dress skirt to the ground. Swiftly, Hinata drew a dagger from her other sleeve and held it to the servant's neck.

"Why were you in our room?" Hinata asked. She forced all compassion out of her voice.

"Miss, miss, I-I didn't want t-to. P-Please, spare me."

"You didn't want to what?"

"Poison miss, poison your food trunk."

"Who ordered you to?" Anger seeped through Hinata's voice. She was hungry! Starving! This servant had went and poison the one source of food Hinata had. Hinata wanted to cry in frustration.

"I can't tell you."

"Was it-his majesty? Go on, tell me, I won't tell anyone." Hinata said kindly.

The servant nodded.

"Is there anything else you want to tell me?" Hinata tried to sound kind, her voice clear as a bell. The servant shook her head.

Hinata knocked the servant in the temple with the handle of her dagger. The girl fainted.

HInata dragged the girl into a corner. She felt the servant's body for weapons. The girl was stocked. There were bladed pinwheels, vials of poison, and a hairpin that doubled as a needle. There was a dagger in each sleeve and in the side of each boot.

Carefully, Hinata removed the weapons. She made sure not to touch the blades, in case they had been laced with toxins. She placed them in her leather bag to study later.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

King Orochimaru had the servant girl, Matsuri, killed. The girl had failed to kill Hinata.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

Sasuke told her she would have to starve until they had an audience with the king. Afterwards, they could go home to eat, drink, and wash where it was safe. She did not voice it, but by now, Hinata hated the king.

Sasuke explained that Hinata's stay at the palace was more treacherous than other royals. Wives of the head of espionage were historically tested. The late Kushina had spar with a dozen guards, no one was harmed, it had been merely a test of skill-that had been the way of the old king. The current King Orochimaru enjoyed crueler tactics.

 _What kind of king wastes people and resources with his sick games?_ Hinata thought.

Hinata had been kind. Any other noble would have killed the armed servant girl.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

"Hehmmm! He-Hehmmm!" The king drawled in a very queer manner. _Our king looks more like a clown than a leader_ , Hinata thought. The king circled Hinata and considered her.

Orochimaru eyed Hinata Uchiha. She was the splitting image of Hitomi Hyuga, except for the eyes-they were far too wide and kind. It was just the way he liked them, naïve and innocent. When Hinata was a fourteen year old girl, Orochimaru had wanted her for himself.

Sweeping his gaze over the woman before him, he was no longer impressed. He preferred to sleep with little girls not grown women. Very well, Sasuke could have her.

"Well, well, well. You chose well S-sasuke! S-she s-survived! Ahahaha!" The king cackled, his voice echoing in the cavernous court. Their king had a penchant for hissing on "s" words like a snake.

Sasuke did his best not to glower in Akatsuki court. They were currently in the catacombs. The court was underground. The floor had a checkered pattern and there was a lofty waterfall gushing behind the throne. They were like pawns on a chessboard.

Then, the mad clown king cocked his head. "Does your husband s-speak of me often?"

"Pardon us, you highness. My husband does not speak of work or politics at home." Her bell-like voice echoed in the cave.

"Ahahaha! Good! Good! A family man! Those are quite easy to control! Ahahaha!" The king moved his fingers as if he was playing with imaginary puppets.

He walked around, gawking like an animal. His neck was extended ahead of him. His crazed eyes bulged out of his head. The king was having a manic episode today. The servants would know to avoid him whenever he would piss out wine colored urine. Unfortunately, Sasuke and Hinata had an appointment with the king that exact day. One wrong move, and they'll be dead.

"I'm bored." The king whined.

"Ugh! You guys can leave now." The king flapped his right hand.

Sasuke and Hinata Uchiha stopped holding their breaths.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11 Maiden Overboard**

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

 **5 years ago / Hinata age 15**

Choosing a crème colored chaise, Hinata sat down with her book on horses. She was waiting for her father. He had come all the way to the Palace of Versailles on the Winter Tour to gamble.

"You like riding, eh, girl?" King Orochimaru said to her with a drawl. The bluenette missed the innuendo in his comment.

Shuffling to her feet, Hinata curtsied. "Good evening, your highness. And yes, I'm quite fond of horses. Are you?"

"You know, you look just like your mother when she was young. I remember her dancing around Versailles." The king couldn't keep on one train of thought, even if he tried. He was flouncing his fingers as if he was making puppets dance. The girl gazed up from her curtsy hopefully, _this man knew Mother when she was young_.

"What was she like?" Her wide eyes held a joyous spark. No, the girl was nothing like her mother in manner. She was gullible and naive, just how the King liked his little girls.

"Well…she was a lady…she acted like a lady. She was beautiful and graceful…you know the sort?" If Hinata had not been so happy to hear about her mother, she would have caught on that this man knew nothing about Hitomi Hyuga. He was just making up lies as he goes.

"And? What else?"

"Well, your father and I, and your mother…we worked to help protect the country. From traitors and very bad men."

"She was a hero!?" Hinata's heart swelled. It was then, Hinata decided she wanted to be just like her mother.

She gave the King her brightest smile. Sure, the King was a bit odd and awkward. He looked like he wanted to eat her, but maybe he had been born into an unfortunate face. It wasn't his fault. Besides, someone who was a friend of Mother's couldn't possibly be bad.

The oblivious girl and the mad king bantered on. He told her of his past and his favorite horses.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

Waves crashed onto the sides of the boat and rocked it. Hinata felt horrible. She was vomiting over the edge of the rail on the deck. It was New Year's Eve. Hinata regretted letting Tenten drag her on the Winter Tour's party boat out to Caen.

Suddenly, the fireworks cannon launched. The whole boat shifted. Hinata was a tall girl and she was folded over railing. Her feet were off the ground. She was stuck on the rail—her upper half about to take a nosedive into the sea, her lower half still inside the boat. **_Calm down, Hinata. Let's try to climb back in._** She told herself.

"Help!" She yelled. The wire skirt that puffed up her dress made it hard to climb. People oooohh'ed and aahhh'ed at the fireworks, they didn't notice her at all.

Someone had bumped their back into Hinata's bottom. Hinata fell off the railing. The bluenette fell into the sea.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

Wire underneath her skirt dragged her down like an anchor. Her woolen winter dress became heavy and wet, it dragged her down, down, down to the bottom of the sea. Flapping her arms and kicking her feet did nothing to stall her demise.

Icy winter waters surrounded her. _I am going to die._ Hinata realized.

A beautiful archangel reached out his hand to her from above. He had a golden halo. She grabbed his hand.

She went unconscious.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

The fifteen year old boy and his father sat on the rowboat. Naruto had blown out the fire in their lantern. Their family had not eaten meat in a month. The roof of their house fell in due to heavy snow. They had become short on money.

Naruto and his father, Iruka, had snuck onto the beach to fish. They had no fishing license so staying quiet and staying out of the moonlight was important. The party boat launching fireworks and sailing close to the rowboat was not helping their cause.

"Help!" Someone, a woman, had fallen of the party boat.

"I think someone fell over." Iruka said.

"Father, row closer." Naruto tied a rope around his belt loop and secured it to a nailed bench. He jumped into the water. He saw where she fell.

He dove deep and deeper into the icy waters. Being a common blacksmith came with some perks. Naruto was used to extreme heat and miserable cold.

He reached her. He reached out his hand. She reached out hers. And her eyes closed shut.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

Naruto tried pulling on her arm to drag her towards him, but it felt like she was nailed into place.

Naruto swam closer. Underwater currents lifted up her crème colored skirt. There was a wire contraption underneath her skirt. He lifted her skirt and saw a wire cage that came up to her waist. No wonder she was stuck in place.

Pulling out the dagger beneath his boot, Naruto began cutting the wire. Naruto cursed the idiot blacksmith that invented such a hazardous trap.

He pulled on the rope around his waist and swam. Naruto lifted the broomstick of a girl out of her iron cage. He was beginning to run out of air.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

Iruka had pulled Naruto towards the rowboat. Naruto swam with one arm and dragged the girl by the waist with the other. He gave her a firm blow behind the shoulder blade.

"Ngheh!" She coughed up water. The girl with blue hair looked like a mermaid in the moonlight. She had mischievous impish eyes, a proud nose, and pink lips. She was a beauty.

"That's it, clear out your lungs, ya know. Can you swim?" The girl shook her head. Naruto pointed at his father's rowboat, it was hard to make out in the dark. "I'm Naruto, and you're going to hang onto this rope until you get to that boat. We're going to make it, alright?"

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

Fireworks went off in the background, Hinata watched him swim as she kicked her feet and held onto the rope. He held her by her waist. _How immodest!_ She supposed it was necessary to keep her from drowning. Swooning a bit, Hinata memorized his face.

He had sharp, set features. He had calm, cool blue eyes. His hair was blond, thick, and unruly. His expression was so determined and stern, like a soldier. His white shirt clung onto him, wiry muscle imprinted through. Considering his height and skinny stature, he couldn't be much older than she was, but he was so goddamn serious! Hinata couldn't help but giggle.

"What are you giggling about?" His firm voice had some baritone in it. The boy was annoyed.

"Nothing. I'm just really grateful. Really, thank you, Naruto." She made sure to remember her savior's name.

"Why do women insist on wearing items that could kill them for fashion's sake?" He wondered.

"Because they want to show off to other women!" Hinata said with a laugh. She had almost died today. Nothing could make her feel sad. She was grateful to be alive.

Naruto looked at her aghast. _She keeps giggling. Did the lack of oxygen get her high?_

"Crazy girl! I should have left you at the bottom of the ocean." He joked with her. She could feel his laughing chest rumble against her as he held onto her waist. Sadness panged in her chest as they reached the rowboat. She did not want to leave his side.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

Panicking, Tenten grabbed Deidara. "Deidara! Hinata fell off the boat! You have to get her!"

"So what!?" Deidara brushed her off. "It's freezing out there. Get her yourself."

Everyone on this boat was drunk and distracted by fireworks. Who could she ask? It was unfortunate really, but half of the royal men on this boat had the exact same attitude as Deidara. _Kiba! Only Kiba would help!_

Tenten found Kiba Inuzuka. But he was drunk off his rocker. At this point, asking Kiba to swim while intoxicated was like asking him to die.

Tying rope around her waist and a noose to the post, Tenten said, "Kiba, you have to promise pull on the rope in three minutes alright?"

Kiba nodded drunkenly.

 _Well, leave it to women to actually get the job done!_ Tenten thought. _I'm coming Hinata_

Tenten came to the railing, ready to jump. But then, she saw Hinata on a rowboat with two men.

"Tenten! Lower a rope! I'm come up!" Hinata was on a rowboat. Tenten untied the rope around herself. Tenten leaned over the boat and carefully aimed to throw a noose down onto the rowboat.

Hinata tied the rope around herself and climbed the ladder on the side of the boat.

"Thank you, both! Thank you for saving my life!" The blue-haired girl yelled down and waved to the men below.

Hinata turned around to bring Tenten into a wet hug.

"Thank you, Tenten. You're a real friend."

"Of course, sweetheart. Let's get dried off." Tenten suggested. The girls headed down to the ship cabin below deck.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

Sakura Haruno seethed. She had pushed Hinata off the deck. The minx somehow survived.

She hated Hinata. Hinata was plain, Sakura with her pink hair and baby blue eyes was a rare beauty. Hinata was dense, Sakura could calculate. Hinata was a bumpkin, Sakura was socially savvy. Hinata was a tomboy, Sakura was feminine. Why then, was Hinata deemed a lady and Sakura, not?

 _"That is the Hyuga Heiress, Hinata Hyuga. Watch what she does and learn from her. She's a lady."_

Sakura's mother had told her that when she was seven. The Namikaze family had been wiped out. The Namikaze estate was granted to the Harunos. The Harunos were new blood nobility.

Her mother wanted to her watch a real example of a high noble lady. So, Sakura watched. The bluenette disgusted her. Hinata went about the practice of curtsying to servants and kissing her nurse on the cheek. Hinata acted like a peasant.

Hinata Hyuga was not hard to manipulate. Hinata had clung to Sakura. The little girl's mother had died and she had been desperate for any warm body to hold her. So, for a time Sakura was no longer annoyed by the girl everyone deemed most charming and beautiful. Sakura had Hinata under her thumb.

Then, Sakura realized she loved Sasuke. But he chose Hinata. Before he left for Prussia, he danced with Hinata and only Hinata. Sasuke had practically sent out the message to all of French Societe that Hinata was his chosen. Sure Sakura was popular, she had plenty of friends. But there was always that sinking doubt that Hinata had the loyalty of others, while Sakura did not.

Hinata had everything Sakura could ever want out of life.

It made Sakura hate Hinata enough to push the bluenette to her death.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12 Compromise**

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

 **16 years ago / Hinata age 4**

Regret came surged through his heart. He was in disbelief. He couldn't believe his wife Hitomi had actually died. No, rather, he did not want to believe it.

 _I should have stopped her from participating in the ambush. What in the world possessed Hitomi into wanting to see the Namikazes dead, so badly?_ Hiashi Hyuga had pondered as he carried his dead wife home.

Out in the distance, he could see a tall man with grey hair holding hands with a small child with blonde hair. Hiashi's suspicions had been confirmed, the boy Naruto was still alive. Just as well, the child had not done anything wrong. Hiashi would just have to order a child's dead body from Itaru Inuzuka's morgue as a replacement. Hiashi was a strict man, but he was not ruthless.

What was done to the Namikazes, had to be done. England had grown too powerful. The British had influence upon French, Prussian, and even Spanish espionage. In terms of trade routes, the British was an octopus with its legs in every ocean. They were poised to rule the world. The purge had been a necessary evil in Hiashi's opinion. Minato and Kushina were traitors to the country, they compromised French security, they had helped spies of mixed loyalties hide within France.

His wife, Hitomi Hyuga, was a patriot who had died for a higher cause. This was the only solace Hiashi found in his misery.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

 **5 years ago / Hinata age 15**

Hiashi Hyuga woke up in bed with a start. He had gambled and a lost all of his money. The Hyuga Chateau would be sold. Last week, he had rushed Hinata home as soon as she had returned from the party boat.

Hiashi the Rigid, they had called him. He had once been an incorrigible man. But love does horrible things to you. After Hitomi had died, Hiashi never felt alive again. Hiashi spent the remainder of his life as a gambling drunk. As pathetic as he was, Hiashi could barely protect his daughter.

At times like these, Hiashi wished Hitomi was still alive. She would have done a better job raising Hinata. Sweethearted as Hinata was, his daughter was still a disaster prone child. She had gone and flirted with the Mad King Orochimaru about horses. Hiashi had caught her in time and told her to run along.

Did Hinata not know of the tales of little girls dead in sewer ditches after the King plays with them? Now their pedophile king, had requested Hiashi's permission to court Hinata. _No way in hell!_

Out of options, Hiashi Hyuga came to his friend Fugaku Uchiha for help. He struck a deal with Fugaku, the most powerful marquess in Northern France, Hinata Hyuga would be betrothed to Sasuke Uchiha by contract. Since the Hyuga Chateau had been sold, Hinata was practically homeless. It was agreed that Hinata would live in the Women's Abbey in Caen until she comes of age. Marquess Fugaku's people would watch over her.

Sasuke Uchiha was a responsible and smart boy in Hiashi's opinion. He often saw Sasuke and Hinata riding and fencing together, it was a love match if he's ever seen one. Of course, anyone would be a better husband than King Orochimaru.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

 **5 years ago / Hinata age 15**

During her first month at the abbey, Hinata had bawled her eyes out. She cried for herself and for the orphans. Yes, she no longer lived with her father. She no longer had servants or enough money to keep up with her royal friends. Most of her friends had left her. But much worse were the fate of the orphans.

Hinata cried at seeing the cruel outside world for the first time. These orphans at the abbey were so pitiful. It was heartbreaking enough that they had been abandoned and neglected. They were beaten, starved, and sexually abused by their foster parents and returned to the abbey. Training as a chapel nurse's apprentice, Hinata came to know the signs and symptoms.

 _Hunger is the loneliest feeling_. When the orphans were hungry, they wondered aloud about why they had been born in the first place. It killed them from the inside out.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

 **Sovereign2808, you're my favorite commentor. You totally saw what was coming up next.**


	13. Chapter 13

Super busy right now, but if I don't write then I'll forget this so here we go.

o.o.o.o.o

 **Chapter 13 Save Yourself First**

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

5 years ago / Hinata age 15

The children were always hungry. Hiashi, despite his irresponsible habits, always made sure to pay for his daughter's room and board several months in advance. Hinata looked at the dinner tray before her. She got a slab of bread, a chicken drumstick, and a handful of lentils mixed with carrot bits. She snuck the slab of bread and drumstick into her sleeve. She ate her lentils and drank some mead.

Kurenai walked over to Hinata. "Hinata, worry about yourself first. If you are dead, you won't be of help to anybody."

Kurenai's red irises bore into Hinata.

"I **_am_** taking care of myself, Kurenai." The teenager talked back to Kurenai.

The nurse scrunched up her nose in annoyance. "Alright, meet me behind the garden nursery at 8 pm sharp."

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

 _"Kurenai? You're so pretty!"_ Kurenai remembered Hinata as a child. The bright-eyed girl would wonder at Kurenai's soft black hair and flawless pale skin. The same little girl had grown up to be quite beautiful herself. At times, Kurenai forgets that Hinata was not her daughter, but someone else's.

Hiashi had wondered why Kurenai had offered to watch Hinata. Kurenai was no longer getting paid to care for the girl. Being a nurse herself, Kurenai took a teaching position as a chapel nurse at the Women's Abbey in Caen. Kurenai told Hiashi to consider it thanks for taking her in.

Kurenai had never been interested in men. She had been a noble lady once. When she refused to marry, her parents had casted her out. Afterwards, Kurenai joined the Akatsuki. Kurenai fell in love with Tsunade of England. Fugaku caught the two women kissing. Needless to say, Kurenai was casted out of Akatsuki as soon as her orientation was discovered. Hiashi was not aware of this incident. Minato Namikaze, Head of Akatsuki, requested that Hiashi take her in. The former spy became Hinata's nurse and body guard. Hinata was such a sweet and loveable child. Kurenai's heart squeezed. She worried about the girl's survival.

Hinata would marry Sasuke Uchiha in the future. Someday, her little girl was going to be queen of the French underworld. Kurenai needs to train Hinata to be sharp. Hesitating before the enemy resulted in death.

About two miles away from the abbey was the garden nursery. The warehouse stored plants and herbs for the winter. Trees shield the two women from nosey nuns.

"Ugh! It's not working Kurenai. All the knives feel different." Hinata said. Two of the knives landed into the tree with a ribbon tied around it. All the other knives scattered the forest floor.

"Catching on are we?" Kurenai smiled. "Feel this knife, how does it feel different from the one in your left hand."

Kurenai handed Hinata two knives. One for her left hand and one for her right hand.

"Uhm. I'm not sure. The one in my left takes more work to hold." Hinata said.

"That's right. The knife in your left hand has a heavy blade and a light handle. The one in your right has a light blade and heavy handle. The ideal throwing knife has equal weight all across, but you won't always have that luxury."

Kurenai held out her open palm. "Give me the one in your right hand."

"Since the handle is heavy. I hold it by the handle and I do not snap my wrist." Straightening herself into a front stance, she sent the knife into the ribbon tied tree.

"Now the other one." Kurenai said.

Kurenai held the left knife blade in a pinch grip. She used the side of her fist as support and closed around the knife with her thumb. This way, the knife rotates away from her hand without slicing fingers.

"Since the blade is heavy, you have to hold it by the blade."

Kurenai threw the knife into the tree.

"Practice, Hinata."

She made the girl practice for three hours each night.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

Exhaustion overwhelmed Hinata. She worked eight-hour shifts at the clinic. Then, Kurenai would train her another three hours. In between, Hinata ate and wash her clothes and studied. Hinata crept over to Moegi's bed. Moegi was whipped and beaten for stealing food from the kitchen. Moegi was just a little girl.

"Moegi? Moegi, I brought you food." Hinata shook Moegi awake. It was 5 am in the morning.

"Hhm? Good morning, Hinata." The six year old child with orange hair yawned and rose in bed.

Quickly, Hinata pulled out the drumstick and bread wrapped in paper. "Eat."

"Thank you." The little girl ate and looked at Hinata curiously. "Hinata, how do you wake up so early?"

"I drink lots of water before I sleep. And then by the time I need to wake up, I get up because I have to pee." The bluenette joked to the child. Moegi giggled against her drumstick.

Hinata swept the bread crumbs off Moegi's bed. She said. "Here, wrap the bone up in paper. I'll take care of the trash."

The small child wrapped her dirty arms around Hinata. Hinata returned her hug.

"Thank you, Hinata. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" The child muttered.

The little girl went back to sleep and Hinata left the room.

Down into the dark hall, Hinata crept quietly. The darkness seemed to expand. The teenager felt like she was walking into a tunnel. Hinata fainted.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

Soaking a wet towel into the water, Kurenai's hands squeezed worriedly. The nurse brought the towel up and wrung it out. Gently, Kurenai patted Hinata's forehead.

What a sweet and stupid fool, Kurenai had raised Hinata to be. Kurenai found the chicken bone in her sleeve. Hinata had been saving her food for the children. With her long hospital shifts and combat training, Hinata needed to eat heartily. Kurenai felt Hinata's arms with her hand. The girl was just skin and bones.

To be honest, Kurenai was pissed. Had she not warned Hinata to take care of her damn self first?

Blue butterfly eyelashes fluttered.

"Lie still." Kurenai warned. Hinata was sporting a head concussion.

"Why am I in the hospital wing?" Hinata asked sleepily.

"You tell me, Hinata." Kurenai replied sarcastically. "You lied. You haven't been eating proper. Medical and combat training takes a lot out of a person. You need to take better care of yourself!"

"I'm sorry. I just felt a little tired. All around there were children dying. If I don't eat, I just get a little tired…" The delirious girl was muttering. She was probably severely dehydrated to boot.

Patting the girl's head, Kurenai said. "Yes. That is the way of our world. We let children die every day. Our lives are built on the death of others…Do you love me, Hinata?"

"Of course, lubb you, Kur-enai." She was slurring her speech. Her brain was starving.

"Then, eat. Take care of yourself. Let those orphans take care of themselves." Kurenai handed Hinata a cinnamon bun bought from La Maison Rouge Café. She urged the girl to drink some orange juice. Orange juice would treat Hinata's electrolyte imbalance.

The girl gobbled up the cinnamon bun and drank the orange juice. She had been starving.

With her cheeks stuffed with food, HInata started sobbing. "But it's so sad. I do not want to watch people die."

Kurenai was at the end of her wits. One day, Hinata was going to have to kill people to survive. And the girl tells Kurenai, she does not want to see people die? How in the world would this child live among the Akatsuki?

"Well, Hinata. Think about **_me_**. **_I_** do not want to see **_you_** die. Think about how sad I feel seeing you like this, right now!" Kurenai's voice trembled. Tears were leaking out of Kurenai's red pupils. Kurenai turned away.

Leaning over, Hinata hugged Kurenai's back. "I know. I _want_ to do as you say Kurenai. I really do. I just feel so guilty, it's hard to breath. I keep seeing their faces in my dreams. The dead children."

"You can't save them all, sweetheart." Kurenai turned towards HInata and held the child to her breast. "You know, I used to be new nurse once. It scared me too. There are so many patients. There's never enough to go around. You can't save everyone. If you try, everyone will end up dead. Including you. Pick one person, just one person you want to save. Save yourself, and then save that person."

"Okay."

Hinata picked Moegi.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

In the following days, Hinata became more pragmatic. She adapted. She learned the rules of safety. Check. Call. Care. If you see someone in a life threatening situation, do these three things. Check first to make sure it is safe for you to help. Call for help. Finally, care for the victim.

She learned self-love. The nurse is a patient, too. The nurse should treat herself as a priority patient. If she lives, she can help many others.

Hinata was still the same person with the same heart. She still loved too much. She still helped others. She just saw things a little different now.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

Rage and anguish coarse through Naruto's body. Injustice laid before his eyes. Choza Akimichi had his hands cuffed. The excutioner closed the clamp over his neck. The guillotine descended onto his neck. Choza's weeping face rolled on the stage.

Choza Akimichi was Choji and Moegi's father. He owned La Maison Rouge bakery and café. He was the best baker in town. He was a fat and merry man. He was the former Head of the Baker's Guild. But, he read and write at an elementary level. One day, Deidara came to renew Choza's contract. But, it was trick. The other bakers plotted a coup. Unwittingly, the baker had signed his entire shop away. La Maison Rouge sold for dirt cheap price. Enraged, Choza broke into Deidara's mansion to tear up the contract. As punishment for trespassing, Choza was sentenced to death.

Deidara's men came to collect Choji and Moegi. Only Moegi was home in bed. Choji had gone over to seek Iruka's advice. The men took Moegi to a local orphanage. When Choji came home Moegi was gone. Naruto and Iruka had been hiding Choji in their barn house.

At fifteen years of life, Naruto learned the way of the world. _The less for you, the more for me. Better yet, I will take everything when you are dead._

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

For the first time in months, Hinata got the opportunity to go into town. The candleholders and knives at the chapel needed maintenance. Kurenai and Hinata headed to blacksmith forge in the town of Caen.

Then, she saw him. Her archangel. He had grown a lot since she's last seen him. His frame was taller and wider. He had the same tan skin, icy blue eyes, and golden hair. The same chiseled jaw and gorgeous face made her heart beat faster. Strong muscular arms pounded hammer to metal. The boy who saved her was now a **_man_**. Hinata felt her cheeks warm up.

"Good day, sir. I'm Kurenai from the Women's Abbey. How much would it be to repair the candleholders and sharpen the knives."

Naruto inspected the wares. He calculated the time and material expense for the work. "Two silver diner coins, ma'am."

"Here." Kurenai paid Naruto. Hinata sat down and read her book. The bluenette did not want Kurenai to catch her staring at Naruto. Naruto. She still remembered his name.

The girl was smiling too often for a girl reading a book about diseases. The boy was grinning too wide for a boy who only earned two silver diner coins.

Kurenai walked over to Hinata and said. "Girl, watch the knives for me and make sure he doesn't steal metal off of the candleholders. I have to excuse myself for a bit."

Hinata nodded and closed her book. Kurenai rushed to the nearest available washroom.

Walking over to the blacksmith, Hinata pretended to be inspecting his work. He did very fine work.

"Do you remember me?" She whispered.

His smile widened. "The girl on New Year's Day. Are you a nun?"

Hinata was wearing a veil since she lived in the abbey. He thought she was a nun. He hoped she was not officially a nun. Not that he wanted to marry her or anything, they just meet, really!

"No, I'm not a nun. I'm a nurse's apprentice at the abbey." Hinata's answer brought unexpected relief for the boy.

Cheekily, he asked. "You're a quack doctor, now, are you?"

Her pert nose scrunched up adorably. "What if I am? Are you scared?"

"O, I'm very scared. You'll promise to take care of me. Then, you butcher me up!" He teased her like an old friend as he worked on the knives. It was very peculiar. Naruto felt uncomfortable around girls, most of them were full of pretenses. Hinata felt natural. They have just met again, yet _Naruto felt like he has known her from long ago._

"I take very good care of people." She argued obliviously. She had no idea what her words did to him. Like a shameless adulterer, Naruto felt his cock harden. Sharpening the knives did not help either. Back and forth, back and forth, Naruto would rub the knife against the cleaved sharpening stone. _Imagine Choji eating with his mouth open! Imagine Choji eating with his mouth open!_

"I-I-I, I'm sure you do, Hinata." The smart-mouth boy was at a loss for words with her. He did his best not to drool like an idiot. He didn't want the conversation to end. She would leave. "So-so, I was wondering if you could help a friend of mine, Hinata. He got beat up pretty bad."

"Sure." She said.

"Well, can you meet me in the alley between town hall and the flower mill? At noon?" Naruto asked. Choji really did need medical help. Choji tried to fight the men when his father was taken away before his eyes.

"How about midnight tonight?" Hinata finished her knife training an hour before midnight. She would have time to walk to town.

"See, you then." He said. The older lady was walking towards them. Naruto didn't want Hinata to get caught being too friendly with him.

Kurenai walked over behind Hinata. "How are the knives coming along?"

"Almost done ma'am."

Awkwardly, the boy and the girl stopped talking. He would sneak glances up at her as he acted like he was only watching the fire. She would flick her eyes at him as only if watching his work.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

AN: Both Naruto and Hinata have seen some real shit. I'm not bashing them. It's character building. You don't become ruthless in a day...

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14) Dancing with the Devil**

Present time

Swishing alcohol around her mouth, she savored the grape wine a bit. Everyone has a vice. Hinata, like every other nurse before her, loved wine. Alcohol brings you that kind of sleep that has no dreams. No faces screaming. No starving children. No murdered men.

After getting back from Versailles, she ate, drank, and washed. Supposedly, it would do her good to sleep too. She would get to that after one more bottle. _How about champagne? You survived, Hinata. Hooray!_ _Let's celebrate!_ Drunkenly, Hinata clapped her hands.

Swaying to and fro, Hinata hummed a silly song.

It was all real. She was no longer a girl, but a woman. She was someone's wife now. Until death do they part. They took their oaths in front of their family and friends. If Hinata divorced Sasuke, she would bring them both dishonor. She would have nothing. Sasuke would be devastated. Divorce was one of the greatest disrespect a man could suffer. _Death before dishonor_.

Gulping another mouthful of champagne, she laughed. It could be worst. Sasuke could kick her to the curb. She could be living on the streets. All her dowry and properties were under his name. She could be a harlot dying slowly of venereal diseases.

Her heart sank at the thought of him. Their first night together, he had blindfolded her. She did not see all the scars on his back. As soon as they got back, they washed. Hinata had accidentally walked in on Sasuke. He was her husband, it was normal to see each other naked, but he acted like a deer held at sword point. The healed wounds on his back bulged out white and gray scar tissue. He had been flogged like an animal, long ago. Jagged tracks indented scars on top of scars. He must have been whipped with a metal studded belt.

Fresh bruises decorated his torn body. He fought at Versailles. Her heart hurt for him. This was the world and lot inherited to him. Since the day he was born, he lived with Fugaku. He was killing people, while she enjoyed childhood.

She wanted to hate Sasuke. Hate him for wanting to be her husband. Blame him for everything. But now her heart was wavering. Slowly, she was forgetting Naruto. Naruto would forget her too. It would be less painful this way. When she missed Naruto too much, she would say a prayer for him. But even if Naruto came back, it was too late. If Hinata left Sasuke, she would be leaving him for dead. A man who did not have the loyalty and support from his wife, in royal court, would lack support from his subjects.

According to the Book of Debts, Fugaku had killed many people. After Fugaku's wife left him, people plotted coups to displace him. Her late father-in-law was known as the most wicked, ill-fit Head of Akatsuki. Hinata realized the power she held in her hands. She could build Sasuke up to be one of the greatest leaders. Or she could ruin him to death or corruption.

Hinata was becoming angry and vengeful, because she did not have a choice. She did not want the burden of an entire underground empire. But on the other hand, neither did Sasuke.

She was beginning to understand him.

He had become so lonely, he went mad.

She remembered the past nights. He would check up on her in her sleep. One night, he brushed her hair away in her rest. He said, _"I couldn't do this alone anymore. I'm so sorry, Hinata. I brought you into this mess."_

He had been there for her all her life. When her father lost everything, he channeled money to shield her from absolute poverty. When her mother died, he was her shoulder to cry on. Strength returned to her. _Life is not only about you, Hinata. Don't be so selfish. You are his wife. Love him, because no one else does._

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

Sasuke rolled over in bed. He reached out for her. His hand touched the bed. He looked towards the restroom. It was empty. He got up to find her.

"Hinata? Hinata? Where are you?"

Paranoia was still rampant in his system after visiting Versailles. He ran down the stairwell.

He heard her laughter. Following her voice, he walked down into the cellar. Lying against the wall, she was working on her third bottle. She was going to drink herself into a coma.

Walking towards her, he said, "Give it here, Hinata."

A frown graced her face and she hugged the bottle to her chest. "I'm not finished."

He pried her fingers off the bottle. "Can't I have a sip too?"

She shoved the bottle at him. She laughed. "No sipping, drink it like a man!"

Maybe his wife was on to something. After what they have been through, Sasuke could use a drink. He joined her on the ground. Seated beside her, he let the bubbles burn his throat.

"You're going back to bed after this."

"No!" She laughed. She slapped his thigh like he told her the worst joke. Her head fell onto his shoulder.

Swigging down more champagne, he finished off the bottle. The price tag hung off the bottle. "You're quite the heavy drinker, Mrs. Uchiha. How do you plan on paying the tab?"

"Here's a kiss." Hinata blew a kiss at Sasuke out of her palm. Shifting to her feet, she held her hand out to him. "Let's dance, Sasuke!"

"Oy! Let's dance!" Sasuke laughed. He grabbed her hand in his.

She was the **_one_**. He needed her. Every time he felt low, he would see her. She made everything brighter. His heart felt lighter with every step he danced with her.

Scooping her into his arms, he guided her. Her mouth laughed against his chest and she swayed in his arms. Gliding around the cellar, he guided her away from the machines with sharp edges.

Tiptoeing, Hinata kissed him right on the mouth. "Thank you, for keeping me alive."

"You know I love you, right?" He said. Drunkenly, she smiled at him. She would probably forget everything tomorrow morning.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15 Runaway**

5 years ago / Hinata age 15

Clouds of breath escaped her lips. She walked on the worn paths to hide her fresh footsteps. Snow fell onto her cap. Hinata was dressed as a boy.

She wore Neiji's old clothes. Neiji and Tenten used to sneak her out for festivals in town. Now, they came handy for running errands.

Naruto might consider Hinata kind and helpful. But Hinata knew herself. Her wandering heart was like that of a bird's. She wanted escape. Even if only for a short while, she wanted to leave the abbey. And go someplace new. And meet with the young man who fascinated her.

She walked to the flour mill. Water gushed underneath the ice. The water mill turned from the water running below the surface. Standing near the water made her felt colder.

There he was in the alley with is horse, he motioned for her. Thrills tingled through her small body. Danger could lie ahead. He looked so dark and mysterious standing there. Secretly, she liked it.

"Glad you could make it."

"Haa, nice to see you. It's so cold. How far is this place?"

"Not far." His voice alone had been enough to seduce her. She has only met him twice. But here she was, dying to know him.

"Do you need help climbing up?" He asked. Hinata shook her head and mounted his brown horse. With one hand she held onto the horn of the saddle. She wrapped her other arm around the horse torso. He mounted behind her.

He rode his horse on worn snow. His legs were behind her legs. His arms trapped her on both sides. She could feel his heat on her back. Hinata held onto the horn in front of the saddle. Naruto held onto the rein in front of her. The handsome lad made her teenage heart swoon. His chest behind her felt so firm and warm, as if she could rely on him. She would not have minded staying in his embrace forever more.

Naruto looked ahead and drove the horse. Beneath his chin were her fragrant locks. She must spend all day in a garden. Rose and wisteria wafted off her curls. It intoxicated him.

All of a sudden, winter was not cold enough. As the horse trot up and down and forward, the momentum caused his crotch to bump periodically against her bum. Hotness spread across her cheeks, down her neck, down her breast, down her belly, and then lower. She could feel the clouds of breath coming out of his chiseled mouth brush against her ear. Intimacy ran in currents between Hinata and Naruto.

The young man was grateful he had decided to wear a cummerbund. It wrapped around his waist and draped over his crotch. The cloth blocked his hardness from becoming erect. Blissfully, Hinata seemed unaware of the affect she had over him.

To curb the intensity, Naruto babbled about Choji. He asked her about her life in the abbey. From her story, he learned that she used to be a lady. She "fell into unfortunate financial circumstances," and her father was currently homeless. Her father placed her in the abbey. She was vague. He did not pry on her shame. Her nobility status meant very little now, she had no dowry. He decided he would marry her one day, whether or not she had a dowry.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

"Hello, I'm Hinata. It's a pleasure to meet you Choji." She said. Actually, it was not a pleasure seeing him at all. His eye sockets were bruised purple. Naruto told her Choji was whipped for sport when his father was taken away. Choji was big and stocky. He acquired a lot of fat and muscle mass from life as a baker. He hauled flour bags weighing fifty pounds each. A man with less mass might have not survived the beating.

"The pleasure is mine." Choji kissed her hand.

Then, Hinata quickly got down to business. Naruto fetched salt and hot water. Regretfully, Hinata told Choji that there was not much she could do to heal his bruises. Time and his body would have to do the work. She gave him dried fruits that she piffered from the chapel greenhouse. She told him to eat dried fruits if he could get his hands on them. They contained ascorbic acid. Edible plants would help with his wound healing and blood production. Sufficient hydration would also help decrease inflammation and quicken healing time.

Choji nodded. His expression made him appear faraway and forlorn. He lost his entire family, his father and his sister. He considered Hinata and wondered if she could be trusted. She looked like a noble to him. There was not a single blemish on her face. "Hinata, Naruto told me that you work as a chapel nurse. What do you actually do? Do you look after children?"

"Sometimes I look after children. Sometimes I look after the plants. I'm just an errand girl. I do a bit of everything." Her voice was calm and gentle.

"Do you take care of female orphans?" Choji asked.

Hinata gave him an odd look. _What did he want with female orphans?_

"I have a sister. She's eight years old. She has auburn hair. More orange than mine. People tell us we have the same eyes and nose." Frantically, Choji looked for descriptors. He held up his hand at a height. "She's about wee high."

"What is her name?"

"Moegi, Moegi Akimichi."

Her eyes flashed with recognition. "I know her. She came to our chapel about a week ago?"

Choji nodded. Moegi was taken from her bed a week ago.

Naruto return to the barn with a pot of hot saltwater. "Let's clean your back."

Choji took off his shirt. Cleaning with a washcloth, Naruto wiped off the blood crusting Choji's back. The blood had turned brown and in some parts green. The bloody scabs were large. Choji had a risk for infection and gangrene. Naruto had been afraid to wipe at the scabs—it would cause Choji to bleed more. Now that Hinata was here with healing balm, the wounds could be cleaned. The balm would stop bleeding and heal the wounds.

Hinata used a flattened spoon to apply balm to Choji's back. As soon as Naruto cleaned off moldy crusts, blood oozed out. Quickly, Hinata patted the area with the balm. The balm stopped the bleeding.

The balm was made of styptic herbs. The balm she made was a mixture of yarrow, witch hazel, and reconstituted beeswax.

Naruto bandaged Choji back. Hinata stepped out for a moment to give the men privacy. She was not interested in seeing the wounds to Choji's lower body.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

Choji thanked Hinata for her help. But he asked her for one more favor. Help his sister escape the orphanage. Choji did not want his sister to suffer as an indentured servant.

Choji had an aunt who lived in the town of Nonant. She ran a cheese factory. Naruto had rode three hours there to talk to Choji's aunt. Naruto stayed the night. It took Naruto three more hours to ride back. Naruto never does anything half-hearted. When he promised to help Choji, he would not stop until he was sure Choji would survive.

The aunt promised Naruto that Choji could live as her tenant and work for her.

Choji would leave for Nonant three days from now. If Hinata could sneak Moegi out of the orphanage, Choji would be in her debt. Biting his cheek, Naruto did not like the idea of Hinata about town at night. He told her to meet him at the flour mill with Moegi. Naruto would take care of the rest.

Naruto escorted Hinata by horse to the flour mill at the edge of the chapel grounds. She walked down the alley and climbed the fence. She walked about half an hour from the fence, to the greenhouse, to the chapel dormitories.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

The nuns created income by selling perfumes, roses, herbs, remedies, and madelines. Medicines and balms sold by the nuns truly worked. In this era, the church existed as the apex of medicine. They held millenniums worth of medical knowledge in their libraries. Meanwhile, the French public outside barely knew how to read. The church libraries held books about anatomy, diseases, and surgeries from the Greek, Roman, Persian, Egyptian, and Hebrew civilizations.

Only nobility had access to medicine of the highest order. Within these walls were secrets to a longer more healthy life. Antidotes and poisons were studied here. Cures and serums created here rivaled mythology and legends.

Hinata learned to extract atropine from belladonna. Atropine could restart a dead man's heart. She learned to make digoxin from foxglove leaves. Digoxin cured dropsy—a disease that caused edema of the heart, lungs, and legs. The elderly of France had a tendency to develop dropsy. With the help of digoxin, the elderly royals were able to manage their disease. The average indentured servant died in his thirties. Royals ruled into their sixties. In this world, money and power allowed you to live two to three lifetimes.

Pleasing to the eyes as she was, Hinata was good at sales. She was learned enough to be able to interact with noble customers. If Hinata had not been so skilled at pharmacy and the selling of it, she knew she would have suffered. Many nurse apprentices were starved when they did not meet quota.

As a reward, Hinata was given a bag of left over madelines from the day's sales. In private, she shared the small madeline cakes with her peers. Rewarding those who failed was insubordination, which was often met with corporal punishment.

Hinata saved some madelines for Moegi. That night she told Moegi about Choji. Moegi would meet Hinata in the washroom.

The night of escape, Moegi met with Hinata in the washroom. They climbed out the large window and Hinata closed the window behind her. Luck was on their side, the snow was still soft. Hinata brushed over their footsteps with a tree branch. Moegi and Hinata waited between the flour mill and the town hall.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

 _What a night!_ Zetsu chuckled to himself. He gulped down his alcohol. The social climbing bakers were so desperate for land-owning status that they betrayed their Guilde Master. Coins were used to bribe the upper administration. Deidara was a genius.

The commoners believed in fairytales. They thought that if they worked hard enough, they could buy lesser noble status. What idiots!

As soon as Choza Akimichi bought himself lesser noble status, he unleashed a death wish upon his family. He should have just stuck with baking. The stupid bakers that betrayed their master would follow Choza's fate in a few years. Peasants behaved around nobles like moths around fire.

The men had divided the coins in town hall that night. They got drunk to celebrate. **_Why bother killing commoners, when you could pitch them into killing each other? Peasants were too busy hating each other to notice the atrocities inflicted on them by the upper class. It was the oldest trick in the book of statecraft. In this era and the next, the lower class will continue to kill each other off—and they would continue to worship the upper class as oblivious slaves._**

Blinking his eyes lazily, he saw a little girl with orange hair in an alley. Her blue haired brother was guarding her. What a small boy. Zetsu walked over. The two children backed up until they found themselves against the fence. Zetsu knocked the boy over the head. He grabbed the orange haired girl.

This was just up his alley. He loved little girls. She started screaming. No one was going to help her. Zetsu was a noble.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

Cold. Her head hurted. Her cheek was on the snow. She heard screaming. _Who is screaming?_

Suddenly, her memories returned to her. She tried to get up and fell down. The world was spinning around her. The man's back was turned to her. In his drunken state, he did not hear her crawling toward him.

She drew the dagger from her sleeve and stabbed him in the side of the neck. She pulled out her knife. Blood gushed out the high pressured artery. Hinata shoved the man aside. His blood pooled red in the snow.

Staring back at her was the little girl Moegi with her wide eyes. Moegi was still dressed. _That's good._ Hinata thought in her delirious state. Moegi backed away from Hinata. She was trying to get away from the murderer. Hinata was a murderer. For the first time in her life, she killed another living human. For some reason, Hinata did not care. He hurted her first. He hurt Moegi. He needed to die.

"Stay right there. Your brother will come soon." Hinata told Moegi. Hinata turned around and broke some branches off the tree. The man was too heavy. She covered him completely with the branches.

"Moegi. What you saw, what happened. It was not your fault. He was a bad man, so I killed him. It's my fault not yours. Just put the memory in a box in your mind. And then forget it. _You saw nothing, you heard nothing._ Carry on." Soullessly, Hinata patted Moegi and repeated the words whispered to her from long ago.

She backed herself against the alley wall. Her head hurt so much, she could not stand. Hinata felt nothing when she killed the man. But seeing Moegi cry at her so accusingly, it broke her heart. Hinata never should have been so brazen. She thought she could save Moegi—help her escape indentured slavery. Instead, Moegi almost lost her life and her chastity. It was Hinata's fault.

Moegi was disillusioned. People were so scary. In her little eight year old mind, Hinata had been an angel—full of good and sweetness. The man almost did bad things to her. But then, his body dropped sideways and Hinata pulled her knife from his neck. The nicest person Moegi knew looked so cold and cruel. It was too much for her mind to process. She cried.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o

When Naruto came, the two girls behaved as if nothing had happen.

Naruto picked up Moegi. Moegi shifted uncomfortably. Naruto was a family friend. He played with her brother Choji. Naruto looked and acted like a prince. Now, Moegi felt suspicious. _What if Naruto is only pretending to be good?_ After the incident, Moegi could not seem to look at any male kindly.

Hinata waved them off goodbye.

o.o

o.o.o.o.o

o.o


End file.
